Her Monk
by DameM
Summary: The Shikon Jewel curses Miroku and Sango when it's destroyed. Now they must learn to live with the consequences. All the while satisfying one nosy miko about their own tale of love.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

******Wait! If you did not read **_**Her Knight**_** to the very end, please do so now!******

_A/N: I apologize to all of you who are ready to tear into me for the way I ended the last story. I wanted to give Sango and Miroku their own romantic tale while at the same time explaining what happened while Inuyasha and Kagome were in Modern Japan. Also, I wanted a bit of a plot in this one so I left a cliff hanger in the epilogue of__** Her Knight**__. If you haven't read the last chapters of that story, please do so now because this won't make sense to you if you don't__**.**_

_Her Monk_

_Prologue_

Sango and Kagome were making themselves comfortable on the edge of the hot springs' clearing when Miroku came snooping by. His excuse was of course that he was worried about them and he had apparently been very convincing because both young women spotted the red of Inuyasha's haori in the trees. "We're fine," Sango gritted out, refusing to have an audience for her recitation.

"Inuyasha, take Miroku back to the village. Kirara will protect us if anything happens." The half demon noticed his beloved's smile but also saw the warning glint in the miko's eye.

"C'mon, Miroku. The girls are fine, they're even dressed. I can hear them if they yell." Not wanting to anger Kagome to the point that she "sat" him, Inuyasha pulled the monk away.

Kirara watched their progression and kept an ear out until she was sure they were once again with the elderly priestess. "Mew!" she said to let the girls know it was all clear. Shippou had long since fallen asleep which was just as well. That way he couldn't repeat what the demon slayer said to the guys.

"Okay, so I guess you want me to start at the very beginning."

"From the night we got hurt onward, please."

"Well, we were sitting with Kaede as usual when Inuyasha came to tell us he was leaving to check on you. We thought he was merely anxious to have you back with him so we didn't pay any attention until he didn't come back with you the next morning. And since the night of the new moon was that night, we were even more startled that you guys weren't back by sundown."

"You guys became worried."

"I tried shrugging it off as you getting him to stay in your time where it was safer. Miroku was confident that was the reason." Sango rubbed her arm, a spot on it tingling with the memory. "It was finding Shippou at the well waiting that finally convinced us our worries weren't just our overactive imaginations."

"I'm sorry," Kagome placed her hand on Sango's arm, pulling back in surprise at the heat radiating from the spot she had been rubbing. "Sango, your arm!" the miko pulled up the slayer's kimono sleeve to find a pink emblem seemingly burned into Sango's flesh. The crest of the Taisho clan was clear to both girls and Kirara mewed with concern. "That's the Taisho crest, what is going on?"

Getting a closer look, the fire cat roared and transformed. The surge of _youki_ shocked Shippou awake. "What's wrong?"

"Get on Kirara, Shippou, we have to get to Lady Kaede's immediately."

Inuyasha met them half way, having felt Kirara's demonic energy flare. Miroku was already having his arm looked at by Kaede but so far the elder miko had nothing to offer in the way of advice. "It's my family's crest but I don't understand how it got there." He tried to comfort both girls but saw it wasn't working.

"I believe, Inuyasha that you are going to have to apply to your brother for help." The half demon didn't like the notion but he would do it if it meant the members of his pack would be safe.

"Yeah, first thing, I'll go look for him. You two stay here." The two marked humans nodded in agreement. Kagome placed her hands on their arms, hoping to purify the energy and get rid of the crest. Power sparked but other than removing the burning, her _reiki_ did nothing to the mysterious marks.

* * *

As it turned out, Inuyasha didn't have to go looking for his brother at all. He had spent a good portion of the morning arguing with Kagome about going back home so by the time he was ready to leave for his search, it was midday. By then he could feel his brother's _youki_ so he waited with the rest for the demon lord to come to him.

Kohaku, who had left the morning after the first celebration, was being forcefully dragged back and dropped at his sister's feet. "You have misplaced something, slayer."

"Kohaku?" she asked, not wanting to anger the taiyoukai at the moment. She needed his help after all.

"I wish to travel with Lord Sesshoumaru for a while, aneue. You're going to be marrying Miroku-sama and you don't need me in the way."

"Kohaku, you are never going to be in the way. As for traveling with Lord Sesshoumaru, you will have to ask his permission."

"Can I, sir? I want to learn from you to become a better taijiya. I'll look after Rin when you have to leave her. Jaken isn't the best nursemaid."

"You insolent brat! How dare you insult me…" The imp along with Rin and Ah-Un had caught up to the others.

"Jaken." The boy slayer had a point and it would be a fair trade. Rin was not the easiest child to keep track of. While he enjoyed her frequent escapades that bedeviled the retainer, he didn't like it when she got into trouble because of her curiosity. "Very well, then. You may come and study with me in exchange for looking after Rin." It went without saying what would happen if the little girl got hurt on Kohaku's watch.

"Thank you, sir. Aneue?"

"Come back and visit, Kohaku. I've missed my little brother."

"We will, Sango-sama!" Sesshoumaru almost grinned when Rin took the option out of Kohaku's hands. He turned to go but Inuyasha halted his leave taking.

"Oi, we got a question for you. What does it mean when the crest of our clan appears on a human?" Thunderous didn't come close describing the demon lord's face, Kagome thought when the two brothers suddenly came nose to nose. Inuyasha was being held up by his haori, startled by his brother's reaction.

"_Who gave you the authority to bring humans into the clan?_"


	2. Chapter 1

_A/N: I hope everyone isn't too disappointed in how __**Her Knight**__ ended. I am continuing the storyline so those unanswered questions you all have will be tended to, I promise. You didn't really think I'd leave you hanging about Inuyasha & Kagome, did you? Thank you, __**LogicalGoth**__, __**xRaianx**__, __**impulse960**__, __**xxdarienchibaloverxx**__, __**foreveramuto98**__, __**ILoveInuyasha4Eva**__ and __**IchigoandInuyashaFan**__ for their reviews of the epilogue. Please be patient about that; I just believe the monk and demon slayer deserve their own story. And thank you __**IchigoandInuyashaFan**__, __**impulse960**__, __**ILoveInuyasha4Eva**__, and __**xxdarienchibaloverxx**__ for your reviews of this story's prologue. I would also like to thank the fifteen people who've added this story or its author to their lists. And by the by, I am now listed as a beta reader, in case anyone is interested._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 1_

None of the ex-shard hunters could believe Sesshoumaru had actually yelled. Sure, he'd shouted before and most definitely growled and snarled but never a full blown _yell_. Yet here he stood incensed. So angry in fact, that transforming (which was his usual MO when extremely angry) was apparently beyond him at the moment. They watched with dawning horror as he brought up his claws and leveled the glowing green tips with Inuyasha's eyes.

"Wait, Sesshoumaru! Inuyasha didn't do anything! It's not his fault." Kagome ran forward and grabbed onto his right arm, hoping to instill some reason into his normally rational brain. "He wouldn't even know _how_ to add a human to the clan."

"Miko, unless you wish to lose your hands, you will let go of this Sesshoumaru." The young priestess debated silently for a minute before letting go of his arm. With a grunt, the demon lord lowered his little brother to the ground. "However, you are correct."

Turning, Sesshoumaru looked pointedly at his ward and the young slayer. "You will take Rin to the nearest meadow of flowers and wait for me there."

"Yes, sir." Kohaku climbed aboard Ah-Un and directed the steed away from the village. With a look from Kagome, Shippou went after them.

"You will explain." A crowd had gathered to watch the confrontation and with a glare, the demon lord turned on his heel and stalked away. The four teens hurried after him, wanting answers and wanting to save the villagers from his volatile temper.

Under the Goshinboku's calming influence, Kagome explained everything that had happened since they'd last seen the taiyoukai. When she was done, he made her repeat the part about the jewel's destruction in greater detail. "Hn, let me see these marks." Sesshoumaru studied the crests on Sango and Miroku's arms, his eyes no longer glinting with suppressed rage. "You are cursed."

"It was the Shikon no Tama, wasn't it?" Kagome asked in barely a whisper. "When I ordered it to disappear, it was angry, the demon souls inside knew what I was going to do. I should have kept ahold of it." Tears burning in her eyes, the young miko turned to the cursed pair. "I'm so sorry!" she wailed, embracing both of them.

"Likely it wanted revenge. It could no longer harm you, so it chose people close to you."

Inuyasha backed away from his brother, wondering why the elder had gotten so angry. "What did it do, exactly?"

"A human who becomes a member of a noble demon clan, such as the inuyoukai clan, begin aging as their pack leader ages. In other words, they will age as you age, Inuyasha. The question is how did the Sacred Jewel know what the Taisho crest looks like? How do _you_ know what it looks like? Unless that cowardly retainer of Father's showed it to you, you have never even seen it before."

"One day you'll give me a ring with the crest on it," the half demon stated although he doubted the wisdom of bringing the future into the conversation.

"We shall see." Sesshoumaru studied the group in front of him. A lesser demon would have sighed. "There is no delaying the matter of your wedding to the miko, then. You must marry her immediately."

"I can't marry him now! Grandpa said I have to finish school first!" Kagome protested, forgetting that the demon lord wouldn't know what "school" was. "And besides, we're not ready to...to…" she trailed off, her blush saying more than she could.

"Speak for yourself, wench. I'm more than ready to…" Inuyasha cut himself off, seeing the battle light come into his priestess' eyes. "Keh," he finished lamely, turning back to his brother. "We can't go against her grandfather's wishes. The old geezer barely tolerates me as it is. And her mother would be really upset if she didn't finish her studies. I'm sure she's planning to have a big shindig at the shrine."

"This is not up for discussion, Inuyasha. Should Mother find out this has happened, she will blame you. An unmated alpha cannot add humans to the clan. Without my permission, it is tantamount to treason."

Inuyasha blanched at the mention of the Lady Mother. He had always taken pains to keep out of her sight and flee in the opposite direction should he sense her coming. Not merely because she hated him but because she was crazier than Kagome's grandfather. "Isn't there anything we can do?"

Sango and Miroku had been quiet up until this point. "Kagome, would your mother consent to a simple blessing? Weddings are for nobles in this era. If you explained to her what happened, I'm sure she would agree. Provided that nothing came of it of course until your studies are done."

"Sango's right, Kagome. She and I were not planning on anything formal."

"Hn, if you were any other two young people, you would have been seen as husband and wife a long time ago." Sesshoumaru fixed a flint hard gold stare on the miko. "I will speak to her, if you wish." It pained him to make the offer but the longer his brother and his priestess remained merely betrothed, the greater the chances that someone would find out what had happened to the other two members of Inuyasha's pack and tell his mother. She would insist on killing the lot of them.

"I hate this! This was supposed to be your time, Sango. I wanted to help plan something really special for you and Miroku. You haven't even told me what happened while we were away."

Miroku looked at his betrothed, seeing the light blush. "Sharing secrets, my dear Sango?"

"You never mind, monk. It's between us girls." He grinned, prepared to wait until they were alone to continue the discussion. "Kagome, go ask your mother. She is as generous as she is kind, I'm sure she won't mind."

"All right, don't go anywhere. Inuyasha, will you come with me?"

"Sure, we should tell your family the jewel's gone anyway."

"We'll wait," Miroku responded. It was extremely ironic that at the beginning of the quest for the Sacred Jewel, he'd known he wouldn't live very long. Now, thanks to that same jewel, he was going to live centuries longer than a normal human ought to. He watched his friends leave and Sesshoumaru wandered away, most likely to put distance between himself and the new members of his clan. The new found privacy gave the monk the opportunity to go back to the talk he was having a few moments ago with Sango. "So, about those secrets…"

"Shut up, Miroku. Unless, that is, you want to feel Hiraikotsu on your head again." Sango often wondered whether he enjoyed risking brain damage by getting hit with her weapon. The threat didn't faze him because he merely smiled with fake innocence. "I'll tell her as much as she told me. We're like sisters now, it's only fair."

"And how much was that?" he asked, curiosity getting the best of him. Despite what she had shared with him about what she'd been told in the hot springs all those weeks ago, he knew she knew more than that.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Sango smirked and walked away. A smile formed; the idea that she had left him wondering pleasing. Kirara, who had perched on her shoulder this entire time, mewed in agreement. Her kittens were amusing to watch sometimes. Even though both couples were well on their way to being married, mated and settled, they could never do anything the easy way. Things would certainly be interesting from here on out.


	3. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thank you to __**IloveInuyasha4Eva**__, __**IchigoandInuyashaFan**__, __**impulse960**__, __**PrincessSakura220**__, and __**xxdarienchibaloverxx**__ for their reviews on chapter one. And to those of you who've added this story or its author to your lists since the last time I updated._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 2_

While Miroku was trying to get his beloved demon slayer to confess just what she had told Kagome, the young miko and her half demon fiancé were standing nervously in front of the Higurashi matriarch. Mama watched them fidget for several minutes before deciding to take pity on the two teens. "Something happened in the past that has made you two nervous. There's nothing you can't tell me."

Kagome wasn't so sure about that but she drew in a breath and began. "The Shikon no Tama is gone but before it disappeared it cursed Miroku and Sango by making them members of the Taisho clan. Now they'll live and age as Inuyasha does. But since Inuyasha and I aren't married yet, it's against clan law and it looks like he did it without Sesshoumaru's permission. If Sesshoumaru's mother finds out, she'll try to kill all of us because she'll think he committed treason." The sentences rang together in one long rush to the end. It took Mama a minute to sort out what her daughter was trying to tell her.

"Oh, dear. And I suppose explaining it to her is not an option."

"Let's just say she's not the most mentally stable demon I know." Inuyasha placed a hand on Kagome's arm, trying to calm her racing heart by showing her his support. "We know we can't get married until Kagome is out of school for good. The others suggested a simple blessing as that's basically what would happen back home anyway. If Sesshoumaru's mother finds out, and it's likely she will, there won't be anything she could say about Miroku and Sango being part of the clan, as they were already part of my pack. And that way, Kagome's reputation will be preserved when we go off by ourselves."

"Hmm… Sit, you two, this will require some thought. It never occurred to me that Kagome might look like a fallen woman when you two were travelling alone together."

"It wasn't that much of a problem, Higurashi. The humans believed her to be a priestess immediately despite her odd clothing and the demons, well, there was never one that we ran across that didn't think we were already mated or at least betrothed. Even my brother assumed there was something between us when he met her the first time. And that was barely a week after she unsealed me."

"I see. And then of course you rescued Shippou and met Miroku shortly after. Once Sango joined you, there was never any question of propriety, was there?"

"Nah, we were an odd group but at least the girls' reputations were safe."

Knowing that her best thinking was done while her hands were busy, Mama prepared lunch for the two teenagers while she pondered the problem. "What does your brother say, dear? I assume he knows about this."

"He's the one that insisted we get married right away."

Fried rice and miso soup were soon laid in front of Kagome and Inuyasha. They ate while awaiting Mama's verdict. The older woman sat across from them with tea, having eaten an hour previous with her father-in-law. "And Lady Kaede?"

"We haven't spoken to her about this yet. We came right here, Mama."

"All right, here's what we'll do. If she's agreeable, I'll allow the blessing. Under no circumstances are you to take liberties with it however. And we are not going to tell your grandfather about this, Kagome. Nor your brother because he wouldn't be able to keep this a secret from Father." She was still surprised the ten year old had been able to keep the rest of his sister's adventures a secret in the first place. Someone of a higher power must be using a divine gag on the boy.

"I understand, Mama. Thank you."

She watched as they blushed at the thought of being married, at least by Feudal Era standards. Inuyasha had turned scarlet at the mere mention of "liberties." Satisfied that they would abide by her rules, she smiled softly. "Now eat up, I'm sure the others are waiting eagerly for my decision."

"Keh, the monk was right about one thing, Higurashi-san."

"What's that, dear?"

"You're as generous as you are kind."

The duo returned to their friends shortly after finishing their lunch, not surprised to find the rest of their new family waiting for them at the well. Miroku sported a bump on his head, leading Kagome to believe he'd either been a pervert or said something he shouldn't have. More than likely it was both. Sango had a distinctly harassed expression and Sesshoumaru clearly wanted to be anywhere but where he was at that moment. The children had returned from the meadow. Shippou was showing Rin the fine art of hand held video game playing and the miko had a feeling there would be repercussions from that. Kohaku was leaning against Goshinboku, seemingly taking a nap. Jaken and Ah-Un were not in sight and she supposed they were still as far from the humans as they could get.

"You coming out of there wench, or should I leave you hanging over the side of the well?"

"Oh, be quiet," she returned but there was no heat in the words, just as there had been no real annoyance in his. Inuyasha lifted her over the side of the Bone Eater's Well and went towards their friends.

"Kagome…?" Sango questioned hopefully.

"Mama said a blessing was all right if Lady Kaede was agreeable and if we didn't…you know."

"Hn, your family is most insistent about your studies. If that is their one condition, it is acceptable." Sesshoumaru glanced at his ward who had a small object in her hand that was admitting high pitched noises. "Rin, give that back to the fox and let us go." The demon lord left without looking back at his brother and the others.

"Wait! Aren't you going to stay for it?" Kagome asked.

"There will be time enough for something more…formal…later." The taiyoukai almost choked on the word, not looking forward to overseeing a clan wedding that involved a half demon and a miko.

"All right," the young priestess agreed. Then becoming bold added, "See you later, nii-san!" Only if someone had been watching would the observer have seen the small stumble Sesshoumaru made at the honorific. With as much dignity as possible, the dog demon took his ward and the young slayer away.

"Nice, Kagome, and now the jerk will be spoiling for a fight the next time we see him. You just had to call him big brother, didn't you?"

"I couldn't help myself."

Sango and Miroku looked at their "little sister" with affection. If there was one thing that could be said about the young miko, it was that she wasn't short on bravery. She also had a bit of mischief maker in her too, so it was fitting that she was now the adoptive mother of a kitsune. Walking behind the rest back to Lady Kaede's, they silently contemplated the future. What once looked like a short bleak destiny now stretched out in front of them imaginably long. Barring death by injury or sickness, they were facing centuries of living. Centuries of pretending to be people they weren't or at least hiding who and what they were from most people. Neither could fathom how Inuyasha had been able to handle the deaths of those he'd cared about while he basically stayed the same in body. What would it be like to grow in knowledge and wisdom while their bodies aged a mere year or two per century? Would they get to see Kagome's time and finally meet those she had had to leave because they had need of her here in the Feudal Era?

They watched silently as Kagome and Inuyasha explained the circumstances to the elderly miko. Kaede nodded in understanding and after a brief conference with the village head, had a plan of action. Miroku was taken away with Inuyasha to select a site to build a hut for both couples while Sango and Kagome remained with the priestess. When the houshi returned, he approached his fiancée, picking up one of her hands when she didn't look at him.

"Sango, my dear. We will live and grow because of this. Let us not dwell on how it happened, but overcome it. To do otherwise would mean the Jewel has won in the end."

"I don't know how I'm going to survive watching my baby brother age and die while I stay the same."

"The future is a vast mystery, Sango. Once we did not have that to look forward to. We defeated Naraku, we can use this chance to do some good in the world on a larger scale than normal human life spans would have allowed. And perhaps our fate is to see the peaceful era our dear Kagome comes from and know that it is because of us that it is possible."

"Perhaps," Sango allowed. Squeezing his hand, she looked into his kind stormy violet eyes. "You are really quite the monk when you're not being a pervert," she praised.

"Ah, but I am your monk, am I not?" Miroku smiled, lifting her hand for a discreet kiss.

"Best you remember that," she ordered and knew she would have it no other way.


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: _Thank you to __**Inu'sgirl4ever**__ for the review of_ _**Her Knight**__ and to __**PrincessSakura220**__,__** ILoveInuyasha4Eva**__, __**xxdarienchibaloverxx**__,and__** Esha Napoleon**__ for their reviews of chapter two. And thank you to all those that have add this story or its author to their lists. Including __**ananova's **__community._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 3_

The crisis averted, the inutachi tried to settle down into some semblance of normalcy. They still lived with Kaede while two huts were built, one for each couple. Kagome spent most of her time in her era, going to school and pretending that she hadn't just become a wife in the eyes of the villagers. Inuyasha, with Miroku's help, worked on their home, feeling dissatisfied that his almost mate was so far out of his reach. Miroku would have laughed, if he too hadn't felt the same dissatisfaction in not being married yet to his beloved taijiya. Half of the day, they built on Inuyasha's home and the other half they spent on his and Sango's. For her part, Sango was content to gather items they would need while accepting small extermination jobs to bring in much needed income. Kirara was eager to help in any way she could, hoping that once married life began, her kittens would learn how to live as beings with extended life spans. Sometimes she wondered if Kagome realized she too would age as Inuyasha did once mated to the man she loved.

"C'mon, Kirara, Sango needs our help with a job." The nekomata doubted the wielder of Hiraikotsu needed anything more than a ride to the village on the other side of the valley but she followed Shippou anyway.

"Wait for me!" The two demons paused at Kagome's shout.

"Are you coming with us, Kagome?" Shippou asked, frowning. Inuyasha wouldn't be happy with his wife going on an extermination job without him.

"Yes, Shippou. Miroku and Inuyasha are busy. Sango thought it might be a good idea if there was someone with spiritual powers with her."

"Does Inuyasha know?" was his next question but he heard the half demon shout the miko's name and knew the answer. "Kagome…"

Sango was trailing the dog demon, trying to explain that they would be perfectly fine without either man there to "protect" them. "Kirara's going with us, Inuyasha, as is Shippou. There's nothing out there that we can't handle."

"That's not it—" he started to say.

"Sure it is. Listen, Kagome's been feeling a little left out. She's in school five out of the seven days that make up a week. We're here and she's there. I thought it would be a chance to have a little time to ourselves. We were interrupted the other night so she didn't find out what she wanted to know. I promise that there's nothing to worry about."

"So the youkai…"

"Sounds like a weasel demon."

Inuyasha sighed, waving a hand absent mindedly. "Fine."

Miroku stood behind the two warriors and kept the smile that wanted to creep onto his face to himself. His Sango knew just what made their fearless leader tick when it came to his bride. "Ah, my dear, how I shall miss you."

"We should be back by sundown. Try to stay out of trouble," she told both men, getting on Kirara in front of Kagome.

"How you malign me—" he started but was cut off by a snort from the half demon next to him. "She told you too."

"Yeah, but you're the one who will get into trouble first. Kagome, be careful." Inuyasha walked to the two mounted girls, checking the arrows in her quiver. "You too, Sango."

"I will, I love you, Inuyasha." She kissed his cheek before adjusting her position.

"Keh."

"A kiss for luck, my dear Sango?" Miroku questioned, not really expecting one. When all she did was glare, he finally let the smile he was holding in out. The two males watched the loves of their lives go, each having misgivings but neither voicing them until the girls were out of sight.

"I don't like this, Miroku."

"I don't either, my friend. They would not be the women we love if they were meek housewives, however. To forbid them freedom would crush their spirits. And that is not something I am willing to do." He turned back to the building sites, needing something to keep him occupied. "Come, I will tell you about the surprise I was planning for my betrothed."

"Tell me something, Miroku, have you even told Sango you love her?" Inuyasha saw the monk's eyes shift away from his gaze. "Keh, you've been worming your way around actually saying it, haven't you?"

"She knows."

"Are you sure? She seemed pretty reluctant to accept any gesture of affection from you."

"She knows," the houshi repeated, another smile flitting around his mouth.

"Then maybe you'd like to explain just how she _knows_, monk."

"Well, I suppose if she can tell Kagome, I can tell you. It started that night you and Kagome were hurt…"

* * *

Kagome hugged her friend's waist, enjoying the feeling of flying on the demon cat for the first time in over two months. Sango heard the contented sigh and knew her decision to bring the young priestess with her was the right one. More than once she'd been incapable of the freedom she was used to so it wasn't any surprise that Kagome would also long for the rush soaring through the air on Kirara gave her. Shippou sat on his adoptive mother's shoulder, surveying the scenery. The days of constant travel might be over but he liked going places with his new family.

"Are you happy, Kagome?"

"Yes, thank you. You really didn't need my help, did you?"

"No, but I thought you could use the break from your studies. And I know you feel left out of what's going on here while in the future. You worry about us just as much as we worry about you." For several minutes they flew in silence, the simple companionship enough. Despite what some might think, the girls didn't need to constantly talk to know what was going on in each other's lives.

"Say Sango, why don't you tell me more about you and Miroku. We got interrupted last time."

"Sure, we got time. Let's see, where were we? And Shippou, this is not to be repeated to the guys."

"Course not, Sango." Although slightly disappointed in not being able to tell on his adoptive aunt, the fox cub settled for absorbing the tale. He hadn't gone on any shard hunting excursions while grounded so he didn't know what had changed between the monk and slayer either.

"I think you were to the point where you were just realizing something had really happened."

"Yes. My imagination worked over time that night, coming up with all sorts of strange things. I think I spent most of the night awake. Miroku slept sitting in Inuyasha's usual spot. The next morning he walked with me to the river to get water for Lady Kaede."

"That was sweet."

"He can be, when he forgets to act like an idiot." Sango was about to continue when a large spear flew passed them. Kirara dodged a second attempt easily.

"Sango, do weasel demons throw things?"

"None that I've ever slain." Even as she said the words, she was relishing the chance for a fight. The exterminations of late had been paltry in comparison to the battles they'd fought until recently and she was up for a challenge.

"I've never seen any that do either, Kagome." Shippou swallowed hard, not liking how this simple extermination was turning out. Once Inuyasha got the scent of the bear demon that was trying to kill them, the girls would be lucky to go to the hot springs alone. And Miroku would whole heartedly agree.

"Well, things were getting a little boring back home," Kagome said, trying to put a light spin on the situation. Kirara kept her thoughts to herself, although they closely mirrored Shippou's. Nimbly she landed and braced herself for a fight. The girls jumped off, taking a similar stance. "Shippou, go make sure none of the villagers are hurt. Protect them from the flying debris."

"Gotcha," he said, scampering away.

Completely focused on the demon, Sango nodded to her friend. "I've slain kuma youkai in the past; this one is only a little stronger. We shouldn't have any problems."

"Right, let's do this."

It took them over an hour to kill the bear demon. By the time they were done, both girls were exhausted and filthy from their exertions. They looked at each other and at the skeletal remains of the demon. It had taken both Hiraikotsu and a sacred arrow to finish the deranged youkai off. The villagers rushed forward, heaping praise on them and offering hot baths and food along with a monetary reward for the girls' effort. They gladly accepted, not wanting to return home covered in bear guts.

Alone, except for Shippou and Kirara, Sango glanced at Kagome. "Let's not mention this to the guys."

"Agreed," she answered, knowing the outcome of that discussion should they ever figure out just how tough the extermination had been.

Too bad neither girl thought to tell Shippou to keep it to himself.


	5. Chapter 4

_A/N: Thank you __**xxdarienchibaloverxx**__, __**ILoveInuyasha4Eva**__, and __**Esha Napoleon**__ for your reviews. And a thank you to those of you who've added this story or its author to your lists._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 4_

As suspected, neither Miroku nor Inuyasha were happy about the bear demon but other than frowning, they said nothing. In the dying light of the fire, Kagome and Sango talked. If either were aware that their conversation was being listened in on, they gave no sign. The demon slayer told the miko of the days after Inuyasha had returned to tell them what happened.

"It was on our first shard hunt that I noticed his attitude had changed. He was more alert when we approached villages and he kept to my side rather than wander off like he usually does, even though I had Kirara with us."

"That isn't like him."

"One day we came to a small settlement that was being plagued by an insect demon. There were several signs that it had been there but no clear path as to where it had gone. The three of us split up long enough to get a trail, intending to call for the others when we found it. I took the road out of the small village. There was no youkai, but definitely some vermin to get rid of. A group of bandits were blocking the road, making travellers pay tolls in order to use the thoroughfare."

"Sango…did they?"

"No, I beat them all quite easily but they would have hurt me had I been an average girl instead of a demon slayer. Kirara heard the commotion and came to give me back up. One bandit actually fainted at the size of her transformed appearance." Both young women giggled; the nekomata in question opening her eyes long enough to look at them in amusement. She did so love it when criminals became afraid of her. It served them right for hurting innocent people.

"Oh, Sango, I wish you'd told me sooner. What did Miroku do?"

"He watched the entire thing from the edge of the forest. I know he would have stepped in if I'd needed help but as I didn't, he stayed out of the way."

"Aww," Kagome uttered, before yawning. "What happened next?"

"Miroku helped me tie them up, and then we went to kill the demon. He had found its nest. That was the youkai that had the jewel shard we gave you when you visited. It took several attempts to seal it away until you could purify it." Sango petted Kirara absently before continuing.

"We were about to leave the village when the local lord and some of his men appeared. They'd been hunting the bandits and were pleased that they'd been caught for them. The criminals were deserters from the lord's army, intent on making their livelihood in a less than honorable fashion. Miroku dressed down the lord, who was no older than we are. I think he was trying to shame him into protecting the roads better."

"He was defending you in his own way."

"Yes, things could have been bad if I hadn't been a trained warrior. Miroku was still angry even after we started home. I believe what happened to you really upset him. Nothing like that had ever threatened either of us before. The fact that you were a miko saved you from a fate worse than a simple beating."

"They wanted to _hurt_ you, Sango?" Kagome asked.

"I'm sure the thought occurred to them," the demon slayer answered. "Miroku's mood became increasingly grim the closer we got to the village. When I finally pressed the issue, he ranted just like Inuyasha does when you're in danger. I kept telling him I was fine but he wouldn't calm down. To quiet his anger, I kissed him."

Shocked silence followed her confession. For once Kagome was at a loss for words. "Sango," she finally said.

"I know; it was too forward of me but…"

"No! It was exactly the thing to do. There's nothing wrong in a woman kissing her fiancé. You had just been in danger; it's perfectly acceptable to share a gesture of affection like that with someone you love. And I know you love him, Sango."

"Yes, I do."

Yawning once more, Kagome settled down in her sleeping bag. "We're really lucky to have men like ours who love us, Sango."

"I know. Is your curiosity satisfied now, imouto?"

"For the moment; good night, Sango."

"Good night, Kagome." The young priestess' breathing evened out and the taijiya turned so that she was facing the wall. Kirara resettled herself so that she was guarding her kitten's back.

"You glossed things over, my dear." Miroku's voice came out of the darkness, a soft caress in the night.

"She would only blame herself if she found out how close I came to being hurt." Sango felt the hand that used to be bound by rosary beads gently clasp hers. "And I did beat them easily. Once a rock conveniently landed on the bald one's head."

"I could not have reached you myself in time."

"I'm fine, Miroku."

"Yes, thank Buddha, you are."

"Oi, will you two go to sleep? I don't sleep until my pack does. And by the sounds of things, the faster that hut of yours is built, the better." Inuyasha eyed them from across the room where he was leaning against the wall. He, like Miroku, had heard the conversation between the two girls of his pack. The half demon had known the minute Sango said she'd been surrounded by bandits that they had wanted more from her than her money. In his talk with Miroku earlier, he had suspected that there was more to the story than he was being told.

"Go to sleep yourself," Sango grumbled. "Both of you. You weren't supposed to listen to our conversation to begin with."

"Keh, kind of hard not to, with these ears."

"All three of ye hush up!" came the order from the other side of the room.

"Sorry," they chorused, and that was the last sound they made that night.

* * *

In a manor house not far from the village Sango had told Kagome about, two young lords sat partaking of their meal the next morning. One was no older than fifteen while the other would have been lucky to be the same age as Miroku. The elder, sniffled into a cloth handkerchief before sipping his tea. "So you say a demon slayer went through your land a short time ago?"

"Yes. She was accompanied by a monk and a demon cat."

"That sounds like the taijiya I'm looking for. Was there a half demon and priestess with her as well?"

"None that I saw. Rumors circulated some time ago that their travelling companions had stopped going around with them. The word going around is that they rejoined them long enough to defeat that half demon Naraku. As to their whereabouts at the moment, I cannot say."

"That is quite all right. I have a man scouting for news of where they are now. You've been most helpful, good lord."

"I should warn you, the monk is most protective of her." The younger man grimaced at the memory of the dressing down he'd received at the houshi's hands.

"I am aware of the monk's feelings but I can offer the Lady Sango things that he cannot." The statement was filled with self-importance. "Comfort and a life of leisure will surely be more appealing than the life of a warrior she's had to live until recently. Demon slaying should be left to men and trained priestesses."

The other lord agreed, neither having any idea how condescending their discussion was. If any of the inutachi had heard the words coming out of their mouths, serious bodily harm would have been contemplated. And in one case, probably carried out. "I wish you luck, my lord," he finally said, wanting the other man to leave.

"Thank you," the older man said, doubting he would need it.

Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.


	6. Chapter 5

_A/N: Thank you to my three constant reviewers: __**xxdarienchibaloverxx**__, __**Esha Napoleon**__, and __**ILoveInuyasha4Eva**__._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 5_

Miroku and Inuyasha had, by silent agreement, decided that any new commissions for exterminations would be handled by them. If that delayed the building of the new huts for a few days, it was fine by them as long as their women were safe. This new arrangement was not to Sango's liking but she let the irritation pass, knowing they did it out of love and concern. It was uncharacteristic of her to not say anything but she figured that after a few weeks, they'd go back to letting her handle the majority of requests. They did, after all, have homes to build and they couldn't very well do that if they had to stop as frequently as she imagined they would have to. This would put them into a bad mood because all either wanted was a place that they could be alone with their new brides.

Presently Miroku was helping Inuyasha construct the largest of the walls for his hut. Although it was more accurate to say that he was just lending the extra hand the hanyou needed. The monk imagined that his friend could have built both buildings in less time without his interference. The half demon's strength still impressed him every now and then. "Miroku, focus. I may be stronger than you humans but that doesn't mean I'd take kindly to a wall falling on my head."

"Sorry, my friend. I was just thinking."

"About what almost happened to Sango?"

"No, not that. Actually, I was thinking that you could probably have built these huts without my help."

"Sure, it would have taken longer, but I could have done it. That would have meant though that you didn't have a say in what yours looked like."

"I didn't have much of say in it anyway. Kagome told Sango about all the different designs in her time and my dear decided to adapt things to her liking."

"Keh, what happened to four simple walls and a door? We could have had this done by now and you could have been married for the last two weeks." It was true. Miroku had been anticipating bringing his bride to their new home a lot sooner than they were likely to be in it. The hut not only had four walls, it now had four rooms besides the common living area. He had intended to surprise his beloved with a room where she could keep all of her extermination equipment so that they wouldn't be a hazard once they had children. However, Kagome had casually mentioned that if Kohaku ever decided to stay in the village, he might prefer his own room, as would Kirara since she had sensitive hearing and sense of smell. The miko went even farther by suggesting that they might like some privacy of their own from the numerous children Miroku planned on having, so that had added two _more_ rooms. The hut had become a spectacle for the villagers and some had even proclaimed they would be honored to help build it.

"I agree, and yours is no simpler." Kagome had gone to Feudal Era extremes. Inuyasha, wanting to please her, had agreed to the design of four extra rooms as well. One for Shippou, one for them, one for the children they would hopefully have one day, and a guest room just in case a friend or family member wanted or needed to spend the night. What he hadn't agreed on was making the hut, now called a house, two stories tall. The bedrooms were to be upstairs while downstairs was divided into two separate areas. A cooking area or "kitchen" as the young priestess insisted on calling it, and a common area where they could "entertain." Not that his friend had any intention of having guests over frequently, but Miroku knew Kagome would use her wiles to get her own way in that as well.

The village headman had frowned at this idea but Kagome, after telling him that she was used to this kind of set up and that it would be better for everyone if she had to tend to a wounded villager, had convinced him that it was all right. How she had managed to do that was still beyond both young men. "Got that right," Inuyasha replied. "Just as well that she's spending most of her time in school. Maybe I can get it finished before she has anymore bright ideas."

Miroku wasn't so sure that was a likely to happen but a guy could always hope. Catching his betrothed out of the corner of his eye, he did a double take at the mound of linen she had in her hands. "Sango, my dear, what is all that for?"

"Kagome says we need plenty of bedding, especially if we are to have those ten children you once mentioned. Do you think it's enough?"

The young houshi, who had never given much thought to the matter, looked at his friend. When Inuyasha shrugged, he turned back to his beloved. "I believe it might be but why don't you consult with Lady Kaede? I'm sure she will know for sure."

"I will, thank you, Miroku. Inuyasha, Kagome told me to tell you she went to see her mother about something, she'll be back by lunch time. Kirara and Shippou are waiting by the well for her." The half demon merely groaned, not wanting to know exactly what that topic of discussion might be. He nodded to say he understood and continued to hammer in nails.

"Your wife will have Sango spending all my money, you realize that," Miroku accused lightly.

"You think that's bad, you should see what she does when we're in her time. The future version of my idiot half-brother left me a bunch of money to use while there. Kagome never hesitates to spend it." Even though the words were a complaint, the monk could see by the look in the dog demon's eyes that he really didn't mind.

"Ah, the things we do for the women we love."

"Che, we're whipped. That's all there is to it."

"You may be right." The words were said with resigned air but neither man much cared. They'd grant all manner of silly things to Kagome and Sango as long as the girls were happy rather than see one tear in their eyes again.

* * *

Even though the girls might be spending money hand over fist, they were just as conscious of their guys' needs as they were their own. Lunch was spread out on a grassy hillside for Miroku and Inuyasha. All of their favorites were put in front of them in appreciation for their hard work. Kagome had indeed gone back to talk with her mother but it had been to ask Mama to write down recipes that were easy to understand for both her and Sango. Neither girl had had much time to practice cooking anything but simple stews or ramen in the last months, so a little help had been needed to prepare them for married life. Mama had been eager to help and had sent back a myriad of choices to feed two healthy young men who were busy building their future homes. Both the miko and the demon slayer had been thankful as one had been gathering more items for her new home and had forgotten that she needed to fix something for the midday meal, and the other had been busy studying for a test the next day.

It was as they were going back to their appointed rounds that a visitor entered the village looking for Sango. He wore a familiar uniform and had obviously been sent by a lord. The ex-shard hunters gathered around the messenger, clearly presenting a united front. "I am here on behalf of Lord Takeda."

"Takeda…" Sango murmured, trying to place the name.

"What's the matter, another bear demon spirit attacking the castle again?" Inuyasha asked, remembering the young lord who'd tried to get Sango to marry him not long after she had already agreed to marry Miroku.

"No, sir. My lord is searching for her. He wishes her to become his bride." This last was said as if it should be self-evident.

"But Messenger, Sango is engaged to Miroku." Kagome smiled at the hapless man, knowing he was going away disappointed.

Miroku listened with a frown. He had thought that the lord had given up trying to make Sango his lady. A hand on his arm caused him to look down. Sango smiled reassuringly at him and he smoothed his features. There was no need for him to be annoyed. His beautiful slayer was not going to toss him over for a life of luxury. She may not want to fight demons every day for the rest of their long lives but neither would she enjoy just sitting around doing nothing for the next twenty or thirty years either.

"Please, send my apologies to Lord Takeda. I am happy here with my betrothed and my friends." Sango bowed, hoping that would be the end of the matter.

"I will deliver your message," the man said and rode away. He doubted the group knew just how persistent Takeda could be. Or how obtuse.

He met his lord down the road, near a lake that had a human grave next to it under a sakura tree. Takeda sat on his horse, waiting for the messenger's reply. "My lord, she has declined your offer. It appears that she is betrothed to the monk that you spoke of."

"My beautiful lady surely cannot wish for a life of toil and wandering. I will go myself and offer all that I have."

The messenger opened his mouth to protest but closed it when the lord whirled to ride down the road towards the village. His advice would only fall on deaf ears. The two guards who followed belatedly shook their heads, knowing the outcome of this confrontation would not be pretty. They remembered the fierceness with which the monk had protected the taijiya. Wisely the messenger stayed where he was. If he was not present during the meeting, no one could blame him for anything that was said.

Lord Takeda entered the village, sitting proud on his house. The villagers not working in the fields stopped what they were doing briefly to watch his progress but quickly returned to what they were doing, unimpressed. Next to a demon lord, a human noble was nothing grand. Once again the inutachi gathered, both young men annoyed at the interruption. Sango suppressed a sigh while Kagome tried valiantly to not roll her eyes. Luckily Shippou was with Lady Kaede and did not have an opportunity to voice his thoughts.

"Lord Takeda," Sango greeted, bowing in respect although she was fast losing her patience. How many times did she have to say no?

"Lady Sango, I have come to take you away from your life of struggle. For years you have had to fight and slay demons. As my wife I assure you there will never be any need. You shall not lift a finger for servants will wait on you hand and foot."

"I wanted to become a demon slayer." Miroku stepped forward, the rings on his staff jingling with his anger.

"You do not think that I can provide for my betrothed?" he demanded. "She will want for nothing."

"But, slaying should be left to men and trained mikos. Not lovely young ladies such as yourself and your friend," the lord continued to blunder. He was worse than Inuyasha on a bad day.

"_What_?" Kagome questioned, a dangerous fire in her eyes warning the man that he was treading on thin ice. "I will have you know I _am_ a priestess. And Sango can do anything she sets her mind on. We're not simpering creatures who have to have a man do everything for us."

"Kagome…" Inuyasha trailed off in warning. There was no need to make an enemy out of the Takeda clan.

"Inuyasha, this man just insulted us. He thinks that because we're women that we can't do what you guys can."

Miroku, knowing his "little sister" was ready to tear off Takeda's head and Sango not far behind, gestured to the lord to follow him. He threw a glance at Inuyasha, who could be counted on to hold back the angry female half of their pack, before leading Takeda away. Once out of ear shot of the girls, the houshi dropped his civilized veneer. "Lord Takeda, Sango has been my betrothed since before you proposed to her the first time. Once I might have been willing to let her marry you because I did not think I would live beyond the next harvest. Things have changed since Naraku's defeat, however. I am going to marry her and you are going to leave us in peace. Do I make myself clear?"

"Life with you will mean she will still have to be a demon slayer."

"Only if she wishes it. Inuyasha and I will never stifle our beloveds by telling them what they can and cannot do with their lives. Only if they are in danger do we ever object to their actions. To do otherwise would be to destroy their spirits. If you were to cosset Sango for the rest of your days, that is _exactly_ what you would be doing.

"Besides which, we are now part of the Taisho clan. That means we will live vastly longer lives than a human normally does. You would die long before she has even aged a year."

"I do not understand," Takeda muttered. "How did this happen?"

"We are part of Inuyasha's pack, the demon equivalent to a family. He is the younger brother of Lord Sesshoumaru Taisho. Therefore, we are part of the Taisho clan. If you have any tender feelings for Sango, you will let her lead the life she wishes."

"Yes, of course. Please convey my apologies, Sir Monk. I wish her every happiness."

The group watched Takeda leave, breathing a sigh of relief. "At least that's over," Sango commented. "I thought you were going to hurt him, Kagome."

"Hmph! I hate it when men think that just because we're women we can't do what they can. We're perfectly capable of slaying demons, aren't we?"

"I would not, little sister, bring up your recent experience in demon extermination." Miroku turned serious eyes on the miko. "But by and large, yes, you can do just about anything you set your mind to."

"Thank you, I think," Kagome returned and listened to the others laugh.

Sango smiled at her new family's banter and knew without a doubt that she had made the right choice. She was right where she belonged.


	7. Chapter 6

_A/N: Thank you __**xxdarienchibaloverxx**__, __**impulse960**__, __**lady of lovers**__, __**Esha Napoleon**__, and __**ILoveInuyasha4Eva**__ for your reviews on the last chapter._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 6_

The incident with Takeda forcefully brought home that the fact that Sango and Miroku really should be married as quickly as possible. Preferably before any more men they'd met along the way got it into their heads that she was fair game as far as potential wives went. By mutual agreement both young men put off completing Inuyasha and Kagome's "house," which looked more like a mini castle to most of the villagers, entirely until the monk's was done.

One day after Kagome had returned from the future, the two girls stood staring at the nearly completed structure and frowned. "Kagome, do you suppose we were a little exacting in what we wanted?"

"Well, perhaps we didn't need anything so elaborate."

Inuyasha, who was putting the finishing touches on the roof, rolled his eyes. "Now they come to their senses."

"There's no use in complaining now. It's almost finished," Miroku returned from his position on a ladder. He gazed down at his beloved, offering a smile of fake innocence. "It will not be long now, my dear Sango."

"Miroku!" blushing to the roots of her hair, the demon slayer turned on her heel, and with Kagome, marched off.

"You had to say that, didn't you?"

"Ah, the anticipation." The houshi spaced out for several moments, leaving the half demon to pound in the last nail.

"There, it's done, finally." Inuyasha jumped down from the roof, tilting the ladder until Miroku fell to the ground. Knowing the other man wasn't hurt, the dog demon picked him up. "It's time we talked."

"About what? Are you asking for advice on how to please your new bride?"

"The day a dog demon asks a human that is the day we hang up our pride." Snorting in disgust, Inuyasha dragged him away from the village. "No, this is about how you're going to treat my little sister."

Seeing that the other man was dead serious, Miroku dropped the lecherous act. "I will treat her with the utmost respect, Inuyasha. Sango is the love of my life. There is nothing I wouldn't give to make her happy."

"Just so you know—hurt her, and friend or no friend, I'll cut off your most treasured body part."

"I will have deserved it," Miroku returned gravely, nodding his acceptance. "The same goes for Kagome and me, Inuyasha."

"I know." Satisfied that they understood each other, the half demon relaxed.

"Perhaps now is the time to inquire. How long will we live?"

"Another seven hundred to nine hundred years, I guess, provided we don't die of disease or in battle. It's going to be tough, watching the humans we know age and die. Are you truly up for it, Miroku?"

"We will learn, my friend. There is no other option, is there?"

"No, not with the Tama being the reason your lives are now as long as mine." Inuyasha sat against the bark of the nearest tree and looked off towards the village. "Is Sango ready to watch her brother age and die as a human?"

"Yes, she has told me as much." The monk studied his friend, knowing the dog demon was reliving memories of losing his mother to age and death. Although he had never told any of them about watching his mother pass away as a child, Miroku didn't doubt it had been painful. It was probably the reason he tried passing it off as unimportant. "We might lose friends and even family, but not each other, Inuyasha."

The houshi turned to go back to his bride so that they could prepare for the blessing of their union when a clawed hand landed heavily on his shoulder. "Thanks, Miroku. Your children, they can become part of the pack when they're old enough to make the decision."

"I will tell Sango," he replied, a weight leaving his heart. Out of all the people that he would have to watch die, it was his future children that he grieved most for. "Let us go find our beautiful better halves. Surely they have found something else for us to do."

"Keh, as long as we get a break from building. I think I'll take the next slaying job just to do something. Tetsusaiga's getting rusty just sitting in its sheath."

* * *

As it turned out, they became pack mules for Kagome and Sango for the rest of the afternoon. Once the four roomed hut was as the demon slayer wanted it, she spoke to Kaede about the blessing. Set for tomorrow morning, she was content to let Kagome banish the guys from the elder priestess' home for the night. As the last trip together to the hot springs for the foreseeable future, Sango and Kagome took the opportunity to share more secrets. This time they didn't bother waiting until Shippou was asleep. The fox cub, knowing they were going to talk about girly things, dug out his video game from Kagome's bag and sat on a nearby rock when he was done bathing and ignored the conversation for all he was worth. There were things he _really_ didn't need to know at this point in his life. And there was even more that he just wanted to pretend he didn't know. Especially when it came to his adoptive mother and aunt.

"Kagome," Sango said as a thought occurred to her. "Don't you have that test tomorrow?"

"It's not until the afternoon. Mama said I could take the morning off to attend the blessing. I'll have Inuyasha take me to school afterwards. A family wedding is the perfect excuse to miss half a day of classes. Besides, I'll come back to share a celebratory dinner with you before you and Miroku go off for the night."

"I'm nervous, Kagome. It's not like I don't know what happens between a man and a woman but I was too young to have that talk with my mother before she died. Lady Kaede has tried, but as a maiden priestess, she doesn't have any experience."

"That is why Mama wrote you a letter. She figured you would be nervous. I guess it's a good thing that she majored in Japanese in college before she married my father. It's in my bag. I'll give it to you after we get done here."

"Why is it a good thing she "majored" in Japanese?" Sango asked, confused as to what her friend meant.

"Oh, sorry. Her studies concentrated on the changes our language has gone through from ancient times to the Modern Era. That's the reason not even Miroku can fully read my textbooks. Some characters have been eliminated; others changed, and still more added."

"Ah, I understand now. He was most vexed, wasn't he when he couldn't figure them out? I will take her words to heart. Please thank her for me."

"Of course." Kagome ducked under the water to rinse out her hair. "Sango, remember when you told me you'd kissed Miroku to shut him up? Did he ever kiss you back?"

For an answer, the taijiya turned scarlet and quickly dove underwater to hide her face and rinse out the soap in her hair at the same time. Kagome noticed the embarrassment however and chuckled. She had her answer. "How was it?" she pressed when Sango resurfaced.

"It was…enjoyable." Modesty prevented the older girl from saying more. The young miko nodded to show she understood.

"I figured it would be. I guess that's just one more thing our guys have in common."

"Kagome!"

"Well, I won't lie. Inuyasha always makes me so warm and…and cherished," she finished lamely. She too was becoming bashful.

"Yes," Sango agreed. "Like there's no one else in the world who could possibly be loved more."

"Exactly."

They bathed silently after that, having come to an understanding that only longtime friends and sisters could have. After returning to Kaede's hut, Kagome gave her mother's letter to Sango and quietly went to bed, allowing the other young woman to read it in privacy. Kirara nestled into the crook of the demon slayer's arms, her ruby jeweled eyes following the neatly printed characters across the page. She nodded to herself that it was just the thing her kitten needed and waited for Sango to finish reading.

"Higurashi-san is truly a blessing, Kirara. I will have to think of a way to thank her for all that she has done for us. I suppose it is good that I'll likely live to do so in person."

"Mew," the fire cat acknowledged, knowing as mothers did, that no thanks was needed beyond the expression of true appreciation.

"Good night, Kirara." The nekomata kissed Sango's cheek and laid awake, guarding her precious treasures. Things would be changing quickly come the dawn.


	8. Chapter 7

_A/N: Thank you to __**ILoveInuyasha4Eva, xRaianx**__,__** Esha Napoleon**__,__** xxdarienchibaloverxx**__, and __**BellaDonnaSpencer**__ for their reviews of the last chapter. And a thank you to the people who've put this story or I on their list. I apologize for taking so long to get this up. I had a bit of writer's block._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 7_

Morning dawned perfectly, as if Mother Nature had listened and granted Kagome's request that nothing go wrong during Miroku and Sango's blessing ceremony. The bride smiled indulgently while her friend fussed over a more formal kimono than the slayer was to use to wearing and did her hair up in a style that wouldn't be seen on women getting married until the Edo Period.

Standing in front of the shrine with her friends as Lady Kaede gave the blessing, Sango had to blink back tears. Since the day she had become a taijiya, she had never expected to wed a man who not only respected her abilities but also loved her for who she was. The advent of Naraku had put to rest any lingering dreams of hearth and home. Instead despair and an all-consuming need for revenge had taken its place.

"Sango, my dear, Kagome's leaving." Miroku smiled at his new wife, seeing the faraway look in her eyes.

"Oh! Goodbye, Kagome," Sango told her friend, accepting the younger woman's hug.

"I'll be back after school to celebrate." Kagome beamed at the newlyweds before allowing Inuyasha to drag her off.

"C'mon, I'll take you," they heard the half demon grouch.

"I have to change first!" was the retort. The reply she got must not have pleased the miko because those remaining at the shrine heard the echoing of a dog demon getting "sat."

"Some things never change," Sango giggled, relieved by the normalcy of the moment.

"And some things get better as they change," her new husband said wisely. "Shall we?"

Shippou, who had been perched on Inuyasha's shoulder before he left, gently jumped onto Sango's. "You look real pretty, Sango."

"Thank you," she replied, kissing the top of his downy head in return for the hug about her neck.

Kirara mewed her appreciation from Miroku's shoulder, the spot she'd assumed through the entire ceremony. Her kitten did look especially good in the light blue silk of the kimono. The nekomata lightly dug her claws into the monk's shoulder, receiving a knowing look from her victim.

"Shippou and Kirara have taken the words right out of my mouth. I have never seen a more beautiful sight. Buddha has blessed me and I will give thanks for the rest of my life."

Sango blushed at Miroku's compliment. His words were not spoken in the flirtatious manner he was usually known for. Every syllable came from his heart and was all the more precious because of that.

"Thank you," she whispered, unable to say anything else. Her gaze met Lady Kaede's as the elderly miko shuffled by them on her way back to her hut.

* * *

For the rest of the day, they mingled with the villagers, getting used to being seen as a married couple and accepting bowls of rice and other small trinkets as gifts or offerings of luck. Whenever someone looked askance at how Sango walked side by side with Miroku instead of the requisite number of steps behind, the monk would draw her closer and proudly proclaim that she was his equal and his better half. Most of the older women nodded in understanding and smiled while the men frowned but said nothing. There was no disputing her abilities or her worth.

His words reassured her as much as his actions did. The women had once warned her that if she ever got married the men would no longer see her as being equal in fighting ability as them. Her father had never once encouraged her to put up Hiraikotsu in favor of accepting one of the half dozen proposals she knew he'd heard on her behalf. No doubt none of those men had accepted her worth as having been more than a strong constitution for child bearing.

"My dear, you are so much more to me than what society perceives married women to be. Sango you _are_ my better half, the other part of my soul and I shall spend all the rest of the centuries we have together proving it to you." Miroku kissed the back of her hand; the gesture of affection out in the open for everyone to see. Several sighs spread throughout the village girls while they wished in whispers to find a husband as devoted as he.

"And if you don't, Inuyasha will make you pay."

"He has told you of our little discussion." Sango nodded, smiling.

"I told him he'd have to wait in line," she said, humor lacing her voice.

"He called you his 'little sister,' as I have done with Kagome."

"I suppose that makes sense, in a convoluted sort of way," she mused. "Two warrior siblings and two siblings with spiritual powers."

Miroku grinned, seeing the odd picture their "family" made. "I could not ask for better."

Sango's laughter rang out, bringing contentment to an old woman who heard it all the way in her hut. "Such a sweet sound, Kirara," Kaede said quietly right before the cry of "Demon!" spread through the village.

Kirara growled, intent on chewing whatever youkai _dared_ ruin her kittens' day to pieces. Rushing out of the hut, she was surprised to find Sango scoot passed her back inside. Miroku was facing off against the large snake demon, apparently waiting for his wife to grab Hiraikotsu. "We'll handle this, Kirara. Can you protect the villagers?"

Confused, she transformed and put herself in between the humans and the youkai before giving him a responsive roar in answer. Sango returned a few minutes later, bone weapon and holy staff in hand. The newlyweds shared a speaking glance and together they slayed the youkai who'd wanted to ruin their day. "Another flawless team," Kaede murmured from the doorway to her hut.

Shrinking down to her smaller size, Kirara could only agree with the priestess' assessment. She listened as the villagers cheered the new man and wife on, complimenting their teamwork. If any had doubted Sango's worth before, none did now. Having her become a man's wife did not mean she had suddenly lost her edge. Smug, the nekomata jumped into Sango's arms, mewing in praise. She gave Miroku a look of approval before getting down and leaving to find Shippou. His absence during the commotion likely meant he was up to mischief. And as the humans and half demon that were "raising" him were busy, it fell her to watch him. Being the elder had its disadvantages.

* * *

Kagome and Inuyasha returned right before sunset, a bag of presents carried by a harassed looking half demon. The inutachi gather with Kaede into Sango and Miroku's new home to share a dinner and toast the new couple. Afterwards, Kagome dragged the bride to the hot springs, intent on giving one more gift to the sister of her heart.

Bathed and pampered, the demon slayer opened the small gift bag and pushed aside the tissue paper. "Kagome?" she questioned, finding a small scrap of fine silk on the bottom.

"It's from Mama actually. She said every bride had the right to feel especially beautiful on her wedding night."

Sango pulled the garment out, her chocolate orbs widening in shock and her cheeks blossoming with color in embarrassment. "Kagome!"

"I didn't choose it!" the young miko defended herself, surprised at the sheath-like nightgown with thin straps. Sakura blossoms were printed in an attractive pattern along one side of the gown. And equally thin robe matched it and both girls blinked in stupefaction at the gift. "I suppose…" Kagome started.

"Yes?" Sango interrupted, hoping for a better explanation than that Higurashi-san had picked out the nightwear.

"I suppose a future version of Miroku could have chosen it," her friend suggested. "And sent it to the shrine. Mama never said where she got the gift."

Upon closer inspection, Kagome had to admit that she liked it. It wasn't racy and quite modest for its purpose. "Do you think Miroku would like it?"

"Sure, this is Miroku we're talking about. It might even leave him speechless."

They shared a laugh, Sango deciding that she'd like to see the expression on his face. "Why not?" she asked, suddenly shy.

"You're beautiful," Kagome complimented, knowing her friend was thinking of the numerous scars the unconventional nightgown showed.

"Miroku seems to think so."

"He's a smart man, when he's not acting stupid."

Sango would have responded but Inuyasha interrupted. "You two decent?"

"Just a minute!" Kagome called, hearing the urgency underlying the casual question. They quickly gathered their things, Sango also hearing what he didn't want to say out loud.

Inuyasha's gaze softened briefly upon seeing them but turned hard once more when something only he could hear drew his attention to the other side of the village. "C'mon, let's get you home. I smell a rat." He shook his head to ward off their questions until later.

Leaving Sango with Miroku, Inuyasha bounded to the well with Kagome. On the other side, he lifted his miko over the edge. "Stay here tonight. There's a dog demon sniffing around the outskirts of my territory. I want answers."

"Inuyasha, you don't think it's your stepmother, do you?"

"No, she's not that subtle. And she's not really my stepmother."

"Well, no, but what else are we supposed to call her?"

Inuyasha shrugged, showing he didn't care. "Just stay here; I'll come see you in the morning before you go to school."

"All right, be careful."

"Of course. Do you think I want Miroku to be the only one to be able to enjoy a wedding night?"

"Go!" she huffed, his question bringing back memories of what he'd said earlier in the day about helping her out of her kimono.

"Night, wench," he said, giving her a light kiss before falling back into the well.

"Jerk," she whispered, going into the house but not really meaning it. Kagome just hoped he'd be all right.

* * *

Miroku had been waiting patiently for his wife when her sudden appearance surprised him. He'd been meditating, trying to calm an unexpected case of nerves. Now that their first night as husband and wife had come, he was worried he'd make a mistake and have Sango turning from him in disgust. He wasn't even sure how much she knew about the physical aspect of a married couple's relationship.

"Miroku?" Sango asked, bringing his attention solely on her. "Is everything all right? Inuyasha seems to think there's trouble."

"A demon, which he'll take care of. You have nothing to worry about, Sango," the double meaning had her blushing.

"I know, Higurashi-san wrote me a letter about what happens between us."

Placing his arms around her, Miroku hugged her tightly. "Remind me to thank her in five hundred years."

"All right," she said shyly.

Miroku used all his finesse and experience to put his beloved at ease. By the time she was standing in front of him in her nightgown from the future, Sango was completely relaxed. She couldn't help but laugh at the blank look that overcame his face.

For several moments Miroku mind was entirely blank; his mouth dropping open in wordless appreciation. "Remind me to _really_ thank her…" he finally breathed.

"Pervert," the word was filled with love.

"Ah, yes, but I'm your pervert," he answered.

Sango's laughter turned into soft sighs as he leaned down to kiss her. He was more than a pervert to her. He was her husband.


	9. Chapter 8

_A/N: A bonus, to make up for not getting Ch. 7 out earlier._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 8_

Inuyasha patrolled the perimeter of the village, determine to catch the demon hovering around the outskirts and protect his two friends. He cringed, not wanting to think about his "imouto" becoming a wife in deed as well as in name but unable to deny what his senses were telling him. The rustling of trees to his right gratefully dragged his mind out of the ditch it was unwillingly sliding into.

Focusing his attention that way, the dog demon inhaled the strong scent of an intruder. Giving chase, he heard the sharp curse his quarry gave as he realized he'd been found out. "Hold it right there you SOB," Inuyasha spat all the while knowing the human curse wasn't effectively showing his ire but having made a silent promise to his mother-in-law to clean up his foul mouth, he could do no better.

Both inuyoukai raced across field and stream until they were almost at the lake that was home to Inuyasha's mother's grave. Using Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha aimed a Wind Scar towards the enemy, clipping the male demon. The attack had the intruder coming to a stop, a long spear raised in defense. "Che, that ain't going to do you any good against my Wind Scar. Just who are you and what are you doing nosing around my territory?" Inuyasha demanded, lifting the other male up off the ground.

"I am here at the Lady Mother's behest. Rumors reached her that an unmated alpha male added humans to the Taisho clan without permission from Lord Sesshoumaru. That male matched your description."

"That's false. I am married, and Sesshoumaru knows exactly what happened that caused my human pack mates to become members of the clan. If his mother has a problem with it, she can come to me herself. If she sends another scout, or an assassin, I'll send the bastard back to her in pieces, understand?"

"Y-yes." Disgusted, Inuyasha tossed the dark haired dog demon away.

"Get out of here. If I find you here again without my permission, I'll consider you a threat to my family and eliminate you." The half demon sheathed his sword, not considering the black inu a threat any longer. He watched as the scout hurried away before turning his back and heading home. Inuyasha spent the rest of the night in Goshinboku, alert for any other demons who would try to harm the village. All ready one had encroached, two if the youkai sent by the Lady Mother was counted.

* * *

Kagome was still eating breakfast when Inuyasha knocked on the kitchen door the next morning. She saw just by looking into his eyes that he had spent a sleepless night either guarding the village and their family or battling with a strong demon. "Inuyasha, dear, you look horrible. Haven't you slept?" Mama asked, horrified at his droopy eyes.

"Nah; had to keep the demons away from the village last night. I'll sleep while Kagome's in school, and then take her back to see Sango and the others."

"Sit down and eat. I want you to go straight upstairs and rest afterwards." The half dog demon nodded his agreement, not really paying attention.

"Is everyone all right? How many demons tried to attack the village?"

"Not the village, just Miroku and Sango. A whole slew who prey on newlyweds showed up just before dawn."

"Are they hurt?" Kagome grabbed onto his sleeve, causing the bowl he was holding to wobble.

"Oh, no, they're _fine_. They don't have a clue as to what happened outside of their home last night." Inuyasha winced at the memory of just _why_ they didn't know.

Kagome saw his wince and blushed scarlet as she realized what he meant. "Oh. I'm sorry. I wish you could have come here last night."

"I was planning to. The Lady Mother sent one of her guards to spy on us. She's heard the rumors about Sango and Miroku."

"But there's nothing to them now. We're married by Feudal Era standards and Sesshoumaru knows it wasn't your doing that had them joining the clan."

"That part apparently hadn't reached her by the time she sent out the scout. Either that or she deliberately ignored it which is likely the case." He finished his miso soup and washed it down with what remained of his tea. "You okay to go to school by yourself?"

"I've been doing so for a lot of years, Inuyasha. I'll be fine, you go take a nap. I haven't seen you this tired since we defeated Naraku."

"Getting soft," he grumbled as he stood. Giving a kiss to the top of her head, he nodded to her mother and the rest of her family who'd been listening silently before making his way up to her room. He'd be fully charged in a couple of hours. And he wouldn't have been tired at all if he'd gotten any rest during the night the last three but he'd been patrolling then too.

Kagome shared a knowing look with her mother and then finished her own meal. She stood and picked up her bag. "See you later, Mama, Gramps. Check on him for me, will you?"

"Of course, dear." Mama smiled and waved her children goodbye as they left for school. Silently she praised herself for the bridal gift she'd sent Sango. It seemed to have done the trick. Mentally she contemplated just what she'd get her daughter in a few years.

* * *

Miroku and Sango were sitting under the Sacred Tree when the other two ex-shard hunters returned that evening. Shippou sat on the edge of the well waiting for his adoptive parents and immediately jumped into Kagome's arms when she was on firm ground again. Inuyasha snorted at the smug grin on the monk's face but didn't say anything until the girls had taken the fox cub back to Lady Kaede's.

"Keh, happy now, bouzo?"

"Married life is indeed a rare treasure, my friend. You will no doubt understand completely once Kagome is free to become a wife in more than name."

"Yeah, well, next time put up some wards or something. You had a dozen or more demons after you last night."

"A dozen?"

"I stopped counting after the twelfth showed up."

"My apologies, I had no idea so many would try to prey upon us in our vulnerable state."

"Don't worry about it. You'd have done the same for Kagome and me. We have another problem. The Lady Mother sent a spy last night. She's heard that you've joined the clan. I expect her to make an appearance sooner rather than later. I know you wanted to go visit Mushin, but do you think that can wait until she comes?"

"Certainly. Reasoning with her if she becomes difficult is not an option, is it?"

"I wouldn't count on it. She's not especially reasonable when it comes to me and mine." Inuyasha sighed. "Not that I blame her. Father did leave her to be with my mother. Although theirs was a political mateship and only lasted as long as it was necessary to beget an heir." He shook his head, not wanting to remember the recriminations she had once heaped on his head for the alienation of affection she'd suffered.

Glancing towards the far side of the village, Inuyasha wasn't too surprised to see the large glowing orb sailing towards him that indicated a powerful demon was headed that way. "Speak of the devil."

"Is that…?"

"Brace yourself." The orb attacked him, sending him head over heels.

"Inuyasha-kun, you naughty pup! You got married without telling me. What is your poor stepmother supposed to think?"

Miroku stared incredulously at the female dog demon standing not three feet away from his friend. Inuyasha was no less shocked and barely refrained from demanding to know what she was about. "Hello, Stepmother," he said cautiously.

The Lady Mother waited to see what else he would say. If he acted guilty, she would know. If not, then she would leave him be. The rumors she had heard were mixed in exactly what had happened to cause humans to become part of her clan. Either way, she would have the last say in what the younger son of her former husband did. "Explain yourself," she ordered, becoming serious.

Inuyasha sighed again, meeting Miroku's eyes briefly. This was going to take a while. "As you wish."

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	10. Chapter 9

_A/N: Thank you __**xRaianx**__ for the review. I promise that Miroku and Sango aren't the only ones who will have a wedding night by the time that this story's over. Just keep reading. Right now, I have to concentrate on making my version of the Lady Mother as accurate as possible. After all, it's not easy writing a character that's not entirely sane._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 9_

The Lady Mother made herself comfortable against the far wall in Miroku and Sango's home. Her long silver-white hair blended seamlessly into the fur that lined her robe. She appeared elegant yet there was no denying how lethal she could be if she put her mind to it. From the moment she had arrived, Inuyasha had been walking on egg shells around her in attempt to keep her from attacking his pack. So far she had been content to scold him for not informing him of his marriage and was willing to hear out the story of how his human friends had become part of the Taisho clan.

Unfortunately he knew from past experience that her mood could change in an instant. Currently she sipped tea while Sango and Kagome hurriedly made a simple meal of rice and fish. He doubted she would eat it but maybe she'd be pacified by the offer of hospitality.

She hid her amusement as she drank the tea and watched the two human girls scramble to fix her something to eat. The Lady Mother wasn't impressed with what they were offering but that fact that they recognized her as an important figure in their future was enough to satisfy her for the moment. Her sharp golden eyes fixed on the kitsune child and the odd bowl he was taking out of the grotesque yellow bag that belonged to his adoptive mother. The scent of dried noodles and chicken drifted to her through the package and she raised one thin brow.

"What is that?" she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Ramen," her stepson answered absently.

"I will have that." She waved a hand imperiously, expecting to be obeyed immediately.

"But, my lady, it is a simple meal not fit for one such as you," Miroku protested, not wanting her to become offended by the quick meal they often ate when traveling.

"It has chicken in it, does it not?"

"Not really, my lady. It's just flavored with it." Kagome shared a look with Sango. "You're welcome to have it, of course, but it really isn't anything special."

"I think I will." Inuyasha's eyes widened but he remained silent. He had been uncharacteristically quiet. The half demon nodded to his wife and the miko shrugged, pulling another odd bowl from the bag. Hot water was added and then it was set aside for a few minutes. Once everyone was served, the Lady Mother returned to the reason for her visit. "Your explanation, Stepson."

"Ah, yeah," he mumbled, watching his powerful lady "stepmother" take her first mouthful of ramen noodles. "Well, you know all about Naraku and the Shikon no Tama. In a last ditch effort to get even with us, the Jewel cursed Miroku and Sango to live as long as me because it couldn't hurt Kagome nor I more than it had previously. We found the Taisho crests on their arms not long after the cursed thing was destroyed. Sesshoumaru knows all about it. He's the one that suggested Kagome and I get married right away even though she's too young to get married where she comes from. Her mother gave her permission for a simple blessing but we had to promise that there'd be nothing more until she finished her studies. It's her grandfather's wish that she do so. He's a priest and doesn't really like me to begin with and Kagome wanted his blessing. We'll have a bigger ceremony in a few years."

Miroku listened carefully in case there was anything he could add that the demoness could possible want to know. So far, his friend seemed to have covered everything. It was odd that Inuyasha would give such details but he seemed almost afraid of his brother's mother.

"Ah," the Lady Mother uttered before taking another bite of her ramen. "This is good," she complimented and had the group exchanging shocked glances. She meant every word but the surprised looks were an added bonus.

"Is your mother available to talk to, Kagome?"

"No ma'am, not for another five hundred years if you want to do it in person. I suppose if you wanted to write her a letter, we could go give it to her. Unfortunately, the only ones who can go to my home are Inuyasha and me. The passage to my family shrine only allows myself and him to go through. Even when we had jewel shards, it didn't let anyone else through. I'm sorry."

Displeased, the lady demon frowned, setting aside her meal. "You will dictate," she ordered the monk. The humans rushed to gather writing supplies and she hid her smile behind an icy stare. Settling hard eyes on Inuyasha, she saw he wasn't surprised by the change in her mood. After their first few encounters she supposed he was used to her swift temper and quick judgment. He had avoided her after that so she couldn't blame him for not knowing her change of heart.

She wasn't the best mother, there was no denying that. The female demon had none of the warmth his mother had had but having watched over his body during the fifty years he was trapped to Goshinboku, taking turns keeping demons away with the nekomata that sat in one corner glaring at her in warning, there was little point in pretending to be aloof.

Some called her crazy and still more yet wondered about her sanity. Inuyasha was one of them. It was obvious that he had worried about her reaction to the news that the humans of his pack had become part of a clan that had shunned him from his conception.

"I am ready, my lady," Miroku said, bringing her attention back to the present.

"Hmm, where shall I begin?" When no one answered, she repeated her question. "Well, where should I begin?"

"How about introducing yourself?" Sango offered tentatively. Honestly, couldn't the demon figure it out for herself?

"Ah. I am the Lady Mother, ruler of the Taisho clan…" Her prattling went on for nearly a half hour before she got to the point. Miroku was tempted to edit the letter once she left but figured she'd find out somehow that he'd done it and try to kill him because of that. "I wish to know what her plans are for this extra ceremony she plans on having for Inuyasha and Kagome. I would not wish to duplicate anything here."

"Duplicate anything…?" Kagome asked suspiciously, dread filling her.

"Of course, miko. Did you think I would allow the second son of my former husband to get away with a peasant's version of a wedding?"

Inuyasha's temper snapped. There was only so much of his brother's mother's behavior that he could be expected to accept. "That's enough! You've ridiculed me, shunned me and threatened to kill me each time we've met. Now you come with open arms and plans for my wedding. Just where do you get off telling me how I live my life? We're not even related. You're not even really my stepmother."

Sango was not surprised by his loss of control. She too, had been ready to snap at the female demon. "Inuyasha is right, my lady. You're not related."

The Lady Mother sighed dramatically. "You're just like your brother. So picky with the details. And I am the head of the clan."

"Go hang the clan. I've done just fine without them until now. We can live without them for the rest of our lives."

"Foolish pup!" she snapped, her own temper on thin ice. "How do you expect your human pack members to survive the hundreds of years they'll live without demons to teach them? Humans are frail creatures, their minds are not geared for living near millennia lengths of time."

That seemed to take the steam out of his anger and Inuyasha collapsed back into a seated position. He was clearly worried about the pressures that went with living centuries long instead of decades. "You need the clan, pup. Do not doubt that for a second. Things changed the second you claimed the young miko as yours. She too will live for centuries as your mate. You know that you will protect her from all danger. And without proper training she will be in danger of losing her mind. They all will."

"Keh," was his only comeback.

Pleased she had won the battle, she went back to her ramen. When she noticed that the houshi still had his brushed poised, she fluttered a hand. "That is all."

"Would you like to sign it, my lady?" he offered, showing her the last of several sheets of loose leaf paper Kagome had contributed to the project.

"If I must," she said, draining the odd cup of all liquid. "Interesting. I had never seen the material that this bowl is made out of."

"It's from my time period, my lady," Kagome answered. Vaguely she wondered what that had to do with signing the letter but didn't dare ask.

The Lady Mother nodded, showing her understanding then took the paper and brush from Miroku. With a flourish she added her title to the letter and then laid it aside to dry. "Well then, that is all. The matter of the monk and demon slayer joining the clan is over. I shall send someone to collect the priestess' mother's response."

She rose and with a sweep of her fancy robe, exited the house. The inutachi sat in silence for many minutes absorbing the implications of her decision. "She's insane!" Inuyasha finally declared.

"Oh, come on, Inuyasha, she's not _that_ bad. Definitely eccentric."

"Kagome, you're being too kind," Sango pointed out gently.

"I'm forced to agree with Sango," Miroku seconded.

Inuyasha, wanting to bang his head against the wall, stood up. "Let's go, Kagome, Shippou. I'll bring you to Kaede-babaa's then I need to go for a run."

"Inuyasha…?"

"It's either a run or I tear down some trees." The monk and slayer watched the rest of their family leave, taking comfort in each other's presence.

"Miroku, do you think his stepmother's right? Are our minds really in danger because of our extended life?"

"I would say yes, my dear. Our bodies were not made to last more than a century. There is little doubt that our mental health would be just as fragile. We will learn what we have to in order to live, Sango."

Sango nodded and began cleaning the leftovers from dinner. Kirara brushed up against her kitten in sympathy. "How do you do it, Kirara? With everything you've seen and done, how are you still good at heart?"

The nekomata mewed, trying to give comfort to the suddenly confused young woman. She was angry at the way the other demon had left things. The Lady Mother never did make things simple. Purring, she climbed into Sango's lap and kissed the hand closest to her. Miroku saw her attempt and without a word picked up where his wife had left off in the clean-up. He'd leave his beloved in more experienced hands. Or rather, more experienced paws.


	11. Chapter 10

_A/N: I would like to thank __**BellaDonnaSpencer**__, __**Esha Napoleon**__, __**ILoveInuyasha4Eva**__, and __**xRaianx**__ for their reviews and I need to thank those that have added this to their lists. From the comments I got, I seemed to have done a pretty good job portraying the Lady Mother. Except for the fact that she was too calm about the situation. Thank you __**xRaianx**__ for pointing that out. I will now attempt to fix the plot hole before it gets any bigger. Let me know what you all think._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 10_

She wasn't as calm as she pretended to be. The Lady Mother might have had a change of heart where her "stepson" was concerned and she didn't _hate_ humans per say, but that didn't mean she approved of having humans in the clan. The next time she saw her real son, there would be words. He had covered for his brother and while that showed an oh so _touching_ display of filial loyalty, she was his _mother_.

"Che, pup never was respectful of his elders."

"If you mean your son, you are correct. Inuyasha is another matter." The challenging voice grated on the dog demon's nerves and she turned to face a humanoid Kirara.

"Lady Kirara," she acknowledged. "I was polite, was I not?"

"Only because you sensed me. I'm sure your intent was entirely different when you arrived. I saw you knock Inuyasha over. And you knew what would have happened if you had stepped out of line. Why are you still here?"

Instead of answering, the other female demon let out her frustration. "I resent having to accept these humans into the clan, despite knowing it was not their doing. Although, that ramen did taste good…" her mind veered off track for a moment.

Kirara sighed, sweat dropping. Knowing she didn't have long before she returned to her usual form, she got to the point quickly. "Just so we understand each other. Those kittens are motherless, including Kagome while she is here. Instead of raging against things that can't be changed, you should be wanting to protect them, as any mother worth her salt would want to. Right now my Sango is afraid of the centuries she's facing, and it's all your fault. It's your duty now that she's part of your clan to guide them as I cannot. Make no mistake, I'll tear you limb from limb if you hurt them." Her threat delivered, the nekomata turned to walk away.

_How dare she?_ Temper ignited, the Lady Mother gripped the Meidou Seki around her neck. It began glowing, its power a weapon in an enraged demon's hands. "You know the Meidou is useless against me, Lady Taisho," Kirara called back, not bothering to turn around.

"I hate cats!" the female dog demon growled when she was once more alone. It was time she searched out her son.

* * *

Sango pulled open the shoji door to let Kirara back into the house. "Did you enjoy your walk, Kirara?"

Kirara, once more in her kitten form, mewed in irritation and flicked her tails to show her discontent. She padded over to the dying fire, and curled up next to Miroku who was meditating. His eyes opened with her approach and he casually reached out and petted her. "The Lady Mother is gone, is she, Kirara?"

"Mew!" the vexed quality of the fire cat's voice clearly indicated that it was about time.

"Ah, I rather thought there was more to her attitude. She was much too calm and accepting about what had happened."

"Miroku?"

"I believe that she and Kirara have known each other for quite some time. It was likely only our feline friend's presence that saved us from what Sesshoumaru's mother truly wanted to do."

"So Inuyasha was right about her wanting to kill us."

"At the very least she wanted to punish us for "dirtying" the clan."

"She sounded so _civil_."

"Exactly, she was _too_ civil. I can see her changing her mind about Inuyasha, as he has become stronger than any thought he could be, but humans… No, she was angry."

Miroku stood and went to his wife. He took her hands when he saw her become worried once more. "Will she come back?"

"No doubt, especially if she is serious about putting on a wedding for Inuyasha and Kagome."

"Miroku, if she was so angry, why did she say she'd do that and even write a letter to Higurashi-san?"

"You call that fifteen page dissertation a letter?" he asked, his hands still cramped from all the writing.

"Well…"

"I'm convinced it was a small act of revenge. It was petty but control of the situation was out of her hands and she knew it. Besides, she couldn't very well let a human out do her in that sense. The Lady Mother may not hate humans in general but she doesn't want us in her clan. She also showed Inuyasha she could make his life extremely unpleasant. Who wants a meddling stepmother underfoot?"

"So you think he's figured it out yet?"

"Most likely," the monk answered, thinking he heard the faint echo of a tree falling. Apparently a run was not going to calm the half demon's temper when Inuyasha did work out his brother's mother's intentions.

Leading Sango into their room, Miroku glanced back at Kirara. The demon cat was sound asleep and had given no indication that she'd heard any part of their conversation. Silently he wondered just how much energy she'd used in her "talk" with Sesshoumaru's mother. He'd sensed no flare in her _youki_ that had signaled a fight, so something else must have happened. The mystery surrounding Sango's faithful companion was deepening.

"Miroku, will you hold me tonight?"

"I will hold you every night for the rest of our lives, Sango, my dear."

Long after they had made love, Miroku held his beloved wife while she tried to go to sleep. He had thought the still as yet unfamiliar activity would have tired her out, but it was a mental impediment not a physical one that prevented her from finding rest.

"Sango, please try to rest."

"I'm worried."

"About what?"

"Kohaku, us, the future." Even though he chuckled, he did not take her concerns lightly.

"And here I thought my prowess was greater than it apparently is."

"No! You're wonderful, I just…"

"Calm yourself, Sango. I was only joking. Kohaku will be fine in Sesshoumaru's care. He might not seem like it, but he has changed. Little Rin has made him more compassionate. I think, for the moment, he is just what your brother needs. He will not baby him and he will not allow Kohaku to wallow in the past. Neither will Rin. She has too much curiosity for your brother to stay lost in thought for long. Besides, if she can change the cold hearted demon lord, imagine what miracles she can perform on one young teen."

"You're right."

"As for us, why don't we concentrate on the immediate future? Let us go visit Master Mushin like we'd planned. When we come back, we'll help Inuyasha finish building his 'house' and help run interference if the Lady Mother makes a nuisance of herself."

"Yes, all right." Fatigue settling over her at last, Sango was drifting off to sleep when a stray thought occurred to her. "Miroku, did you find it odd that she apparently liked ramen?"

"Maybe it's a dog demon thing. Their sense of taste is probably more acute than ours."

"Hmm," Sango murmured. "I wonder if that means Sesshoumaru would like it as well…" came the reply as she drifted into slumber.

Unable to help himself, Miroku laughed at the thought.


	12. Chapter 11

_A/N: Thank you __**xRaianx**__, __**xxdarienchibaloverxx**__, __**Esha Napoleon**__, and __**BellaDonnaSpencer**__ for your reviews. And for those of you who've added this to your lists. Here's the next chapter. It's all M&S, with a bit of I&K mentioned towards the end._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 11_

Sango and Miroku departed for Mushin's temple the next day with Kirara. Kagome had given them supplies so they didn't have to worry about finding food on their two day trip to the drunken monk's home and was taken aback when the couple laughed at some private joke upon seeing the ramen cups in the bag. She would have asked what was so funny but Inuyasha had shaken his head and ushered her to the well.

Shippou walked to the edge of town with them, and watched as they flew away. Alone once again for the moment, he returned to Lady Kaede's hut to await Inuyasha's return. The half demon had commandeered the cub's help to continue building the house while Miroku was gone.

The pair traveled in silence, loving the feeling of once more being on Kirara's back high in the sky, flying towards some place they couldn't yet see. Just like before, Miroku placed his staff around Sango's waist while Hiraikotsu was off to the side. Anyone seeing them would think they were off to slay a demon rather than enjoying a nice trip to see an old friend. There was no sense of urgency about their flight and none of the three companions felt that they should be going at a faster pace than they were.

The first opportunity to land and eat came just passed midday near a river they had been by many times in the last year. As Sango prepared the lunch Kagome had thoughtfully given them, she couldn't help the giggles that came at the return if the thought she'd had the night before. Miroku smiled to himself, the sound of her laughter a balm to his soul. She had laughed so rarely during the quest that each time it rang out he absorbed it like a starving man.

"My dear, shall we eat before the tantalizing scent of future noodles draws in any more dog demons?"

"Yes, let's," she agreed, a grin hovering around the edges of her mouth.

Kirara ignored their nonsense in favor of sunbathing. She had partaken of a large breakfast so had no need to eat at the present time. Any energy she had expended the night before facing the Lady Mother in her third form had been completely restored by the night long sleep that had overtaken her.

She listened with one ear as the two kittens laughed and enjoyed themselves, knowing that they had not done enough of either during the quest. Marriage seemed to suit them better than even she had predicted and knew from their nighttime activities that there would be little ones running around soon.

The thought of tiny kittens roaming around brought a purr to her throat and she must have let it out because Sango cooed and petted her behind the ears. Ruby eyes opened to slits so that she could acknowledge the affectionate gesture, only to close them again immediately afterwards.

They were on the road shortly after that, this time by foot. The nekomata pretended not to see the gentle smiles and soft touches between the couple, knowing they had needed the time by themselves away from the others. Briefly she contemplated leaving them alone at Mushin's temple where she knew the old monk would leave them be in favor of getting drunk but Lady Taisho's visit was too fresh in her mind to risk leaving them defenseless against the powerful stone the dog demon kept around her neck. She might have been practically immune to the effects of it but her kittens weren't so lucky and she had no intention of allowing them to be swallowed in the path of the Underworld if the Lady Mother got it into her head to do something stupid.

"Oh, let's browse the stalls, Miroku," Sango said and the houshi sighed, capitulating. He knew that browsing would lead to buying but luckily they had enough from her recent extermination that he didn't mind spending the money on anything she might fancy.

With Kirara perched on her shoulder, Sango entered the village that was hosting the large market with Miroku and began looking at what the merchants were offering. The merchants saw a potential sale in everything she showed interest in and sought to put their wares in a more favorable light by expounding on why she should buy them. More than once Kirara turned her nose up at something because she didn't believe a word coming out of the person's mouth. Sango took her advice and concentrated on things that were as real as they looked.

Miroku trailed behind them getting sympathetic looks from the older village men and scoffs from the younger who were not yet married. He smiled good naturedly, showing he didn't mind. Some people obviously had never come into contact with a woman with as forceful a personality as Sango's. Perhaps he had better warn Inuyasha that the yearly fall mass market was traveling early this season so that he could manage to have Kagome away from the Feudal Era by the time it got near Kaede's village.

"Oh, look at this, Miroku, do you think Kagome would like it?" She held up a hair comb painted a rich rose pink, one of the miko's favorite colors.

"I'm sure she would love it, my dear. Careful, Hiraikotsu might be in danger of tipping over the stall." The accident was avoided but instead of distracting her from the thought of buying the hair ornament, it prodded Sango to buy it in apology. Although, if a small gift was all that he had to pay for before they left the village he would count himself lucky.

He wasn't. By the time they made it the length of the market, she had bought a gift for the others in their family. A small top for their kitsune nephew, a sword sharpening stone for Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga and a small bundle of a rare herb that didn't grow anywhere but in that part of Musashi for Lady Kaede.

Seeing the delight on Sango's face, Miroku couldn't complain. He had never seen her quite this relaxed without Kagome there to tease her and reassure her that it was alright to act like a normal young woman. "You're happy, my dear," he said, taking her arm with his free hand, the other carrying the gifts.

"Yes, this was nice. A part of me wishes Kagome was here to enjoy it with me but I liked it with just the two of us and Kirara. Do you think the big market will be coming near our village, Miroku?"

"No doubt. I was thinking that I should warn Inuyasha."

Sango pretended to think about it, but shook her head laughing. "Let _nii-san_ find out for himself."

Her husband joined in the laughter, grinning wickedly at the thought of Inuyasha's reaction when the merchants converged on the area near their village. "That is the first time you've called him 'big brother,' my dear."

"Well, I guess technically he is but sometimes I wonder which one of us is really the more mature." Her look clearly stated it wasn't him.

"That is a point to ponder."

"Mew!" Kirara scolded, wondering why they even doubted who out of all of them was not only the elder but also the wisest.

"Well, yes, Kirara but I meant out of Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, and I. You are without doubt the wisest of us all. Even Sesshoumaru and his mother can't compete," Sango soothed.

The nekomata was pacified and for an answer, she jumped over to pick through the items in the basket Miroku held. The extra weight tipped the container, halting their progress. She came up with the hair comb and waited for the couple to agree with her choice.

"I suppose she has it right, Sango. If it wasn't for Kagome, would either of us have ever learned to trust Inuyasha and see what kind of person he truly was instead of what convention said a half demon was?"

"No, not likely." Sango picked her friend up out of the basket and cradled her in her arms. "We were truly blessed to find a friend and younger sister in her. And sometimes I wonder just how we all came to meet. And I don't mean because of Naraku's manipulations. Was it really fate that had us coming together as we did, or did someone arrange it?" Kirara closed her eyes, knowing that she wasn't about to tell them the truth. Maybe someday when they were all in the future.

Then again, maybe she'd just let them wonder.


	13. Chapter 12

_A/N: I would like to thank __**Esha Napoleon**__,__** BellaDonnaSpencer**__,__** ILoveInuyasha4Eva**__,__** xxdarienchibaloverxx**__, and__** xRaianx **__for their reviews of chapters ten and eleven (11&12 if you're going by what FF has labeled them as) despite the fact that the reviews for them are not showing on the board. And thank you to all of you who've added this story or myself to your lists._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch.12_

Inuyasha had waited until his friends were safely in the air before jumping down the well to bring Kagome back to her time in order for her to attend school. He had found that he didn't get quite so irritable if he knew exactly where she was and what she was doing. Some people (namely every female in his pack) would consider him just this side of stalker crazy and completely overbearing for feeling that way but his demon half did not like being apart from his miko. And his human half felt the same way.

"Let's go, Inuyasha. I'm going to be late for school." Kagome frowned, wondering what was on his mind.

"I'm coming, wench. You and your school."

"Yeah, well, me and my _school_ are going to come in handy if we're going to avoid all the wars, famines, and plagues in the next five hundred years. And let me tell you, there are a lot of them."

"Keh," he shot back, fingering the fifteen page "letter" his stepmother had written Higurashi-san. He walked with her until they met up with her friends then doubled back to see his mother-in-law. Mama greeted him warmly, offering a large breakfast even though she suspected that he'd already eaten.

Inuyasha accepted the gesture for what it was and sat down across from the old priest who had as yet to leave to tend to the shrine. The half demon placed the letter beside him on the table, waiting until she sat down to hand it to her. "What's this, dear?" she asked, unrolling the loose leaf pages.

"A letter, from Sesshoumaru's mother to you. She visited us last night as I knew she would." He took a bite of the omelet she'd given him before going on. "And she was angry, like I thought she'd be. Was real polite about the whole thing until I lost my temper." The last was said unapologetically.

"This looks like Miroku-kun's handwriting."

"It is; she had him write down what she dictated. Feel free to skip the first thirteen and a half pages."

"Interesting," Grandpa murmured, picking up the discarded pages. "Actual writings from the Feudal Era. I wonder how much I could sell these for."

"Not a cent, old man. They're written on Kagome's notebook paper." Inuyasha smirked at the priest's disappointment.

"I see," Mama said after several minutes of mental translation. "She wishes to provide you with a 'proper' wedding ceremony."

"Well, I think she just wants to do it to maintain some semblance of control. By now the whole clan has got to know about Miroku and Sango. It would look pretty bad for her if she appeared not to have known that her son allowed humans into the clan and that she didn't approve."

The elder Higurashi woman frowned. "That's a poor reason to do something like this."

"Well, she is crazy," he reminded his mother-in-law. "Not only that but she wants me to know she can make me miserable with all her planning. It's a petty revenge but it'll have to do. And she wants to out do you because you're human and as a demon noble, she thinks she's better at these things."

"Oh, really?" Inuyasha swallowed hard, seeing the light of battle come into Mama's eyes. Grandpa slid back his chair, hastily abandoning the field to his future grandson-in-law. "She expects a response, doesn't she?"

"Ah, yeah…" the half demon heard the pitying sigh the priest gave as he left the room. "If you want, I'll take something back with me when I come get Kagome. I have to get something done on the house now."

"Yes, you go do that. It's going to take some time to write this in Feudal Japanese. Why don't you stay for dinner, dear?"

"Sure, I'll see you later." He beat a strategic retreat, wondering how he got caught in the battle of wills between the two mothers. Things were sure to get ugly.

* * *

The latest in their friends' saga unknown to them, Miroku and Sango made their way closer to the temple on Kirara's back. At sunset they made camp, gathering wood and making a fire in a routine that was as familiar to them as their own weapons. The nekomata curled up near the flames, resting after eating a meal of fish. Sango and Miroku partook of some of the other goodies Kagome had sent, saving the rest for their trip back. They'd be at Mushin's by midmorning so there was no need to waste provisions.

Laying out underneath the stars was romantic now that there was virtually no threat to them. Kirara would know well in advance if something were to come for them. Sango gazed at the tiny dots, thinking about what Kagome had once told her about them. "It's strange, don't you think, Miroku? The stars are really giant balls of gas yet even the people in the future are still fascinated by them."

"Stars give light to unimaginable worlds, my dear. There's no telling what awaits some future traveller from our planet. We wish upon them like they're good luck charms and perhaps they are."

"I once wished on a star," Sango whispered, moving her head on his shoulder so that she could look at him. "I wished for love, and I've found it. With you and with our pack."

"I too, once wished on one. I was about Shippou's age and it was just before my father died. I wanted him to live, to find a way to slay the demon who had cursed my family."

"You were not able to do so before you lost your father but you certainly found a way to slay him. You only needed to wait until you found a miko from the future with enough spiritual power and enough compassion and kindness to cross cultural and racial barriers."

"True."

"Do you suppose our fathers are watching us from where ever souls go until they're reincarnated?"

"I would like to think so, my dear. A lecherous monk and strong demon slayer. Quite the pair those two would make."

"My father would never have approved of the way yours behaved. And he would have frowned upon me falling in love with you. In the end though, I know he would have allowed me to marry you. I do believe that you're the only person who could truly appreciate me for who I am. And that's the only kind of husband that would be acceptable to Father. He raised me as a demon slayer. If I had been married to a man like Takeda and kept isolated in a castle or just plain home, it would have killed me.

"At some point in the future I will have to stop exterminating on a regular basis but I cannot simply abandon all that my comrades taught me nor do I wish to."

Miroku smiled, her words bringing to life everything that he already knew. "Then shall we make another wish on a star, my dear?"

"Together, this time?"

"Yes. Let us wish that we have a bright, long future filled with friends and family, no matter how long or short they may live in comparison to us. And that we use the curse as a gift, to help ensure Kagome's peaceful time."

"You lecherous monk," Sango whispered affectionately, a tear coming to her eye. "That was absolutely perfect," she continued, gazing at the bright stars overhead before closing her eyes to do just that.

And it was.


	14. Chapter 13

_A/N: Well, will you look at that. The missing reviews have reappeared. I must thank __**impulse960**__ for his/her review now since I had lost track of who said what while the comments for ten and eleven were AWOL. And thanks to __**xRaianx**__,__** xxdarienchibaloverxx**__,__** impulser960**__,__** BellaDonnaSpencer**__, and __**Esha Napoleon**__ for their reviews of the last chapter. I do believe some people have added this to their lists. Thanks._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 13_

_Twenty pages?_ Was his mother-in-law trying to get him killed? Surely she didn't have to outdo the Lady Mother this way. Maybe a bigger celebration; or a fancier kimono for Kagome to wear in front of the priest but a longer letter? Inuyasha folded the even thicker bundle of papers and tucked them into his haori. He bowed to the rest of his wife's family and escorted Kagome back to the Feudal Era for the weekend.

"Is something wrong, Inuyasha?"

"No, koiishi," the half demon reassured, not wanting to worry her. Kagome smiled, understanding the reason for his tension anyway.

"Mama wrote a really long letter, didn't she? I think she was trying to tell your stepmother that she could fight with words just as well as the Lady Mother can."

"This is going to get worse before it gets better, isn't it? I wish Miroku and Sango were back already. The monk is more diplomatic than I could ever be."

"They're off having a wonderful time, I'm sure. There's plenty of time to worry later. Mama still won't let us be _really_ married until I graduate high school. And I want to compile a list of places to avoid in the time between the Feudal Era and the Modern Era. It'll take time. After all, Sesshoumaru's mother did say I'd live as long as you once we become official mates."

"You will, I'll make sure you see your family again, no matter what, Kagome." Taking off his haori, he placed the warm fabric around her shoulders when a cool breeze blew up off the river.

"I know, Inuyasha. After all, you're my knight in red Fire Rat fur." The miko giggled when he scowled.

"I really wish you'd stop that nonsense."

"It's not nonsense. You're my hero." With a smile, the young priestess leaned against his arm, rubbing her head against the lean muscle underneath his kosode. "I love you."

"Keh, yeah, I know." Kissing her upturned face, the half demon continued walking her home without another word.

* * *

Several days went by before Sango and Miroku returned to the village. Both were smiling despite the fact that the houshi looked like a pack mule while Kirara and Sango walked to their home unencumbered by anything but the pack Kagome had originally given them. The half demon smirked at his friend's predicament and took one sack of rice from Miroku without having to be asked. Together they joined the demon slayer in the oversized hut and put things away where she directed them.

"Is Kagome here?"

"At her mother's this week. She's got to study for high school entrance exams. I'm using this time to get the house completed."

"Can you give her a present for me?" Sango held out the rice paper wrapped hair comb in one hand and Inuyasha's present in the other. "This is for you, nii-chan."

"Thank you, _imouto_," he teased in the same light vein. He accepted her hug with surprise, never having seen the taijiya act so carefree before. Miroku shrugged when gold eyes met his in question and Kirara ignored the trio in favor of a nap. "I'll give it to her when I go to dinner."

"How's Shippou?" the demon slayer was astonished that the cub hadn't run to her in greeting.

"Good, he's with his own tutor at the moment. After hitting his thumbs several times while trying to help me build, I let him go play. Another fox demon showed up to make mischief. I let him live in exchange for teaching Shippou how to better use his magic. Kagome approved."

Sango frowned briefly. "Are you sure he's trustworthy?"

"Not even a fox can get away with lying to my nose. Yeah, we can trust him that far. Besides, it seems he got on the wrong side of Sesshoumaru the other day and has a nice long acid burn to prove it." Inuyasha shrugged, showing his pack sister it wasn't anything to worry about.

"All right. I'm going to go give Lady Kaede her present." She excused herself, leaving the two guys alone.

"Sango's in a good mood," the half demon started out hesitantly.

"We made some progress coming to grips with living as long as you. We've decided to use this 'curse' as a gift in order to make sure Kagome's time is assured. The world will always need people to protect it. That might as well be us."

"Hn, never thought of it that way. Kagome talked about avoiding places that would be dangerous for you humans to be throughout the centuries. I wonder if we could do both. It's certain we won't be able to stay in this village the entire time. Too many questions when people stop believing in demons and their culture."

Miroku nodded in understanding, figuring they could sort things out as they went along. He sat down, sighing. "It was nice seeing Master Mushin but I have to tell you, Inuyasha, it's good to be home." A rueful smile graced the monk's face for a moment. "Do you know, Inuyasha, I never thought I'd have any other home but Mushin's temple and then only until I died. To have Sango, our future children, Kagome, Shippou, and you is a blessing beyond my imagination."

"You ain't the only one, Miroku. Just having friends is a miracle to me." There was no need to explain himself to the other young man. It was amazing to the dog demon how much the human monk understood him. Kagome's entrance into their lives had not only changed destiny, it had changed lives in miraculous proportions.

"Yes, true friends. I suddenly pity your brother. He has many more centuries than us to live and yet it looks as if he will spend it alone. Is there no one he calls friend?"

"Not that I know of. His position as lord as always put distance between him and any others that might have wanted to befriend him. That and the fact that he's been an icy jerk for most of his life. Not that I can blame his remoteness very much, having the kind of mother he does. Eventually he'll mate, probably just for an heir though."

"Speaking of heirs, has Higurashi-san responded to Lady Taisho's letter?" The horrified look on Inuyasha's face had Miroku sitting up. "What happened?"

"Twenty pages! Fifteen wasn't enough; she had to exceed Stepmother by five pages. And unlike her mindless prattle, this was all legitimate concerns and arguments."

"You read it?"

"Of course, she had me make sure she spelled things right. You know, because of the changes the language has gone through. Besides, it's better to be forewarned. Maybe that way I can be forearmed as well."

"Knowledge is power," Miroku nodded thoughtfully. "This is going to get messy, isn't it?"

"Keh, yeah, and I'm right in the middle."

"What's going to be messy?" Sango asked, coming in through the shoji door.

"The War of the Mothers," Miroku said with a grin. "We get to be spectators, my dear."

"Oh, dear. Poor Kagome," the taijiya murmured.

"Poor Kagome? What about me?" Inuyasha asked incredulously. "I'm the one Stepmother's going to blame when she sees Hirgurahi-okaasan's response."

"Oh, dear," Sango repeated. Things really _were_ going to get messy.

None of them knew exactly how messy it was going to get until Sesshoumaru showed up to get Mama's letter.


	15. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 14_

Sesshoumaru showed up midmorning the next day. He had flown into town, Ah-Un directly behind him with Jaken, Rin, and Kohaku on the steed's back. Without excusing himself, he yanked Inuyasha off of the top of his house, where he was trying to finish the roof before it rained again so he could continue building inside, and threw the half demon to the ground.

"Hey! Just what do you think you're doing? I'm in the middle of something."

"Mother _sent_ me for your miko's mother's response."

"You? She sent _you_?" A feeling of dread began building in the back of Inuyasha's head. "Yeah, I got it. Just a warning, she isn't going to like it. The tone of her letter apparently didn't sit well with Kagome's mother. Higurashi-okaasan doesn't like to be talked down to."

Sesshoumaru felt a headache coming on. Demons, especially demon lords, didn't _get_ headaches! This was the very reason he stayed away from his mother. She always made him feel like a pup despite the fact that he was a mature nineteen demon years old. There was no doubting that she did it just to aggravate him. Sometimes he wondered if she wanted him to be as crazy as she was.

Miroku joined the two brothers, having returned from getting more supplies for the roof. He stood beside his friend, showing his support and subtly telling the demon lord that he would side with Inuyasha against him if need be. "Trouble?" he asked, pretending he didn't know what the discussion was all about.

"Guess who has to play errand boy for his mother?" Sesshoumaru's eyes flared red at his brother's taunt but he didn't attack.

"Just give it to me, Inuyasha," he said and they were all surprised when the demon lord sighed out loud.

"Yeah, sure," the other Taisho agreed, now worried about his elder brother's mental health. Going into Kaede's hut, he returned a few minutes later with the enormous letter. "Here; I suggest you hand it over and make a run for it."

"Kuso," Sesshoumaru cursed.

"My thoughts exactly."

* * *

Sango saw the full dog demon leave the village from the doorway to her home and knew immediately what had happened. Sesshoumaru had obviously been sent to get Higurashi-san's letter and it would not be a good thing for him when his mother got ahold of it. Inuyasha had showed it to them the night before and the demon slayer agreed with her husband's assessment that the "War between the Mothers" was going to be bloody. And unfortunately for the Taisho brothers, they were the ones in the line of fire. Miroku had been only joking when he had called the brewing conflict a war, but now Sango was very much afraid that it would be exactly that. The Lady Mother was a regal noble and she was insane to boot. Not a good combination in a demon. Higurashi-san was as protective and loving as any mother Sango could imagine and she would go as far as she needed to in order to protect those she loved. Kagome's mother had taken Inuyasha to heart and there was no threat too big for her to fight. Even a slightly unbalanced dog demon aristocrat.

"Well," her husband started when he and Inuyasha came in for lunch. "That was certainly an interesting development. Do you suppose we will be graced with her ladyship's presence again?"

"Che, don't even go there." Morosely, Inuyasha stared into his ramen cup. "The whole lot of them can just go hang for all I care. This whole thing has gotten out of control. We didn't make you members of the clan and Kagome and I are fine as we are for the moment. If I'm frustrated, I can deal with it. Her happiness is what counts and she wants to finish school. I love her too much to take her away from that."

Sango knelt beside the half demon, trying to give him some comfort as Kagome was not able to be there to do it herself. "Inuyasha, we'll fight her if we have to. I'm not scared of her."

"Sango's right, my friend. After Naraku, how much more difficult would she be to defeat?"

The half dog demon shot up suddenly and gripped Sango's arm. "You won't fight her, do you hear me? I won't allow it. And you'll not be exterminating any time soon either."

"_Excuse me?_" Sango asked; dire threats in her eyes if Inuyasha didn't take his words back. Furry white ears flattened at her tone but he didn't back down.

"Inuyasha…?" Miroku questioned; a niggling suspicion in his mind.

"You'll be staying home, helping Kagome and Kaede and whatever else it is that women do."

"And just why would I suddenly give up my profession?"

"Cause you're pupped," Inuyasha said bluntly, looking over her head at the monk.

"Pupped…" Sango whispered, not registering the sudden light weight of her nephew on her shoulder.

"Yup, it means you're going to have a baby," Shippou put in helpfully, a lollipop sticking out of his mouth. He had come in after his morning session with his new tutor. The old kitsune really wasn't teaching him much he didn't already know. The cub hadn't been able to convince him he was way ahead of others his age.

"A baby, Sango…" Miroku breathed.

"Shippou, get off of her shoulder and put away the lollipop. You know Kagome doesn't let you have candy before a meal." Inuyasha didn't wait for the fox child to obey him; he simply plucked him off of his aunt's body and plopped him down onto the floor. Too much was happening to allow the cub to get away with things.

Sango sat where she was, unable to believe what the demons were telling her. "Kirara…?" she asked, turning to the nekomata. Her friend hadn't said a word on the way home that she'd sensed the change in her.

"Mew," the fire cat affirmed, coming to brush up against the slayer. She had been willing to let the couple figure it out for themselves but also knew that if push came to shove, Inuyasha would blurt out the truth in an effort to keep Sango from harm. Declaring that she'd fight Lady Taisho was definitely coming to the point of a shove.

"Sango," the normally eloquent monk whispered again. Inuyasha would have laughed if the reason behind his announcement weren't so serious. Seeing Miroku at a loss for words was nearly priceless. He couldn't wait to see what would happen when the baby actually got here.

"Miroku, we're going to have a baby." Tears gathered in her eyes and Sango launched herself at her husband. All three males looked on in incomprehension as the demon slayer cried. Kirara hid her smirk, letting the pack members that were present figure out a way to comfort the emotional young woman.

"Part of our wish is already coming true, my dear."

Shippou, not understanding the reason behind the tears, hopped up onto the half demon's shoulder. "Do you get it? Cause I don't."

"It's a female thing. You know, like when Kagome cries when she's happy. Same thing here; I hope." Inuyasha stood, bringing the couple's attention to him. "Promise me, Sango."

"Hmm?" she mumbled, having forgotten their previous topic under discussion.

"Promise me you'll put off slaying until the pup's born."

"Oh! Yes, nii-san, I promise." Sango favored him with a hug, embarrassing the dog demon in the process. "Thank you for telling us. You can be so sweet at times."

"Oi, don't go spreading around tales about me. Demons might get the idea that I've gone soft." The hanyou moved her away from him, giving her back to Miroku. "Now might be a good time to say that thing you've been avoiding."

"What thing?" Sango asked, wondering why Inuyasha off all people was telling Miroku to talk. If anything, it was usually the reverse that occurred since the dog demon didn't like to open up and the monk counseled him to do so.

"Inuyasha's right."

Without a word, Inuyasha picked up his forgotten ramen and with Shippou and Kirara left the two alone. Miroku waited until they were gone before picking up one of his wife's hands. "Many times I have alluded to how much you mean to me, Sango but I have never actually straight out told you. Now, as we learn about this wonderful new blessing, I have no excuse for keeping it to myself. I love you. No matter how many times during our quest I tried to deny it or ignore it because of the situation we were in, it was always there in my heart and in my mind. I love you," he said again, wiping tears from her eyes.

"I love you too," she replied. There was no need for anything more.


	16. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 15_

Life seemed to move at a faster pace after the discovery of Sango's pregnancy. Kagome was once again making plans for the arrival of her new "niece" or "nephew" and no one seemed to be too inclined to stop her. Not that any one of inutachi would have _tried_ to derail the miko once she got an idea in her head. They'd all learned long ago that it was virtually impossible.

Inuyasha was content to let her make her plans while he and Miroku finished the house. More villagers had offered to help because it was a novelty to have a mini "castle" in their humble town but the half demon didn't want anyone but the monk to help. He freely admitted that it was a matter of pride and he wanted to be able to show the world that he alone could give his priestess everything she wanted and needed.

His friends had seemed to come to grips with living for centuries and he didn't press the issue by bringing it up when they talked. So he kept an ear out for trouble and his eyes peeled for his stepmother to appear or to send another equally ridiculously long letter back to Mama Higurashi.

"Inuyasha, I'm back. Miroku, where's Sango?"

"Resting, her stomach has not been allowing her to eat much," the houshi replied, pounding another nail into the wall.

"Morning sickness," Kagome nodded in understanding. "Perfectly normal. Mama says that it usually only lasts the first trimester. I'll just go see how she's doing. And show her the books I got. There are some really cute outfits in this one…" both boys watched in relief as her voice trailed off when she left.

"Inuyasha…"

"I _know_, Miroku. You know how she is. I'll see if I can't get her mother to talk some sense into her."

"I'm starting to agree with your stepmother about a formal wedding. Make her your wife in deed as well as in name and she won't put ideas in my Sango's head."

"As much as I'd like the first part, there's no guarantee that the second still wouldn't happen. Especially as Kagome would likely end up in the same condition and then it would be just as bad, if not worse. Both of them would start cooing over those baby scrolls she brings back."

"They do that now," Miroku complained, sliding the last shoji door into place.

"Exactly my point. And guess who would have to cart all the things back through the well that they decided they just _couldn't_ live without?" Inuyasha stepped back to study the finished product. "Finally. I can distract Kagome by telling her our house is complete. That should give you about three hours of peace, maybe more if I can get her to study. Thanks for all your help, Miroku. I really appreciate it."

"You would do the same, did do the same in fact, for me. There will be plenty of times in the future no doubt where we will need to help each other."

"Still, it would have taken another moon cycle without your help."

"Family helps one another, does it not?"

"Up until now, I would have said no, but yeah, I guess they do." The dog demon entered his friend's home behind him and looked towards the bedroom his friends used. He could hear the quiet discussion between the two girls.

* * *

"Is it really that awful, Sango?" Kagome asked, placing a cool, damp cloth on her friend's forehead. The slayer twisted her face in disgust for an answer. "Mama assures me it'll get better."

"So did Lady Kaede but one of the grandmothers was talking to her granddaughter the other day and I overheard her say that it can last the entire pregnancy."

"True, Mama did say that too but she's pretty sure that because you've got such a strong constitution, you'll be fine after a few months."

"You can let me sleep until then." The demon slayer looked through the small window in the outside wall. "The harvest is coming. Will it be a good year, do you think?"

"It'll be a great year," the younger woman assured, wondering why the sister of her heart was so concerned about it.

"It'll be a good omen, then."

"Yeah, but we beat bad omens too, Sango; so don't worry, okay? I'll be here as much as I can. High school's not as easy as junior high but I won't let that stop me from helping you in any way that I'm able to. Oh, Mama sent some saltine crackers. She said they worked wonders with ginger tea." The priestess began pulling things out of her yellow backpack. A thermos of hot tea and a box of crackers came out, along with a bunch of catalogs. Kagome poured a small amount of the tea into a cup and handed it to her friend who had struggled to sit up. Sango took a tentative sip, and a small amount of the odd cracker. When she didn't immediately lose it, she took another.

"Kagome, I think…"

"Shh, you eat that and I'll leave the rest here. Inuyasha is out in the living room waiting for me. The tea isn't as good as the fresh stuff but I'll have Lady Kaede make that up for you later. Here are some tea bags so you can make some more whenever you want. And have Miroku let me know when you want more crackers." The miko patted her friend's hand, afraid to give her a hug and upset the delicate balance of the other woman's stomach.

Miroku opened the door then, smiling at the care being given to his wife. Kagome had always been the caregiver of the group and he doubted that would ever change. "Have you completed your mission of mercy, little sister?"

"Yes, I was starting to worry about her health. And yours too, Miroku. I know how much you hate seeing Sango sick and not being able to do anything about it. Is Inuyasha getting impatient?"

"Oi, wench, I thought you'd want to see how your new home turned out."

"It's finished?" the school girl asked, surprised. When last she'd looked, they'd still had the walls to put in.

"Of course, Kagome. It's been a week since you last saw the progress. Things have been slow but not that slow." The miko grinned, patting Miroku's arm on the way out and following her husband out of their friends' home.

The married couple smiled in amusement as they heard Inuyasha snort and say, "Clumsy wench," when Kagome tripped in her eagerness to see her brand new home.

"Sango, how are you feeling?"

"Better, Miroku. I think this combination is helping." The taijiya leaned back against the wall, replacing the cool cloth on her forehead. She gave a small smile, watching as her beloved houshi came to sit beside her. A cool breeze came into the bedroom from the window and she breathed in the refreshing air. "Everything will be fine, Miroku."

"I do not like to see you sick, Sango. Kagome's right in that."

"I know. Despite you're lecherous tendencies, you are a truly compassionate man. Being a priest suits you."

"Only because you are with me, my dear. I was a mere wanderer until I met you."

"Flatterer," Sango scolded softly, no anger in the words. She closed her eyes, leaning her head against his shoulder. "My monk."

"Yes, yours," he agreed, lowering his head to kiss her. The demon slayer pulled back abruptly, her face turning green. She rushed out of the room, leaving Miroku to stare after her, chagrinned.

It was a lowering thought for one such as him to find out that kissing his wife made her morning sickness return.


	17. Chapter 16

_A/N: Thank you to the following for their reviews of the last chapters I posted: __**ILoveInuyasha4Eva**__, __**Esha Napoleon**__, __**BellaDonnaSpencer**__, __**xRaianx**__, and __**xxdarienchibaloverxx**__. And thank you to those of you who've added this or its author to your lists._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 16_

The days approaching the harvest were busy with exterminations out of the village and young mikos running back and forth between the past and the future, trying to maintain both the life of a high school girl and that of a priestess-in-training. Sango, thanks to Mama's recommendations and Kaede's fresh ginger tea, recovered from her morning sickness after only a brief bout of it upon waking each morning. Soon she was as active as she had always been and looking through the catalogs, wondering if she could adapt some of the things she liked to Feudal Era conditions.

The one thing that put a dampening effect on everyone's anticipation of the coming baby was the mysterious silence coming from Sesshoumaru's mother. The demon lord had visited the village several times to allow the two demon slayer siblings time together but not even he had any idea just what his mother had up her elegant sleeve. The only thing they were all sure of was that it wasn't going to be pretty.

Half the time Inuyasha expected her to show up out of the blue while he and Miroku were away on an extermination job to demand an explanation for the letter Higurashi-san had sent her. That she didn't worried him. Miroku was still in a daze from learning he was to be a father and wasn't concerned with the retribution that might fall on his friend's head at any moment. Briefly the half demon contemplated knocking some sense into the houshi but figured he'd have to retain as many smarts as possible if the scent coming from Sango meant what he thought it did. He couldn't be sure, but it would be interesting to see the monk's reaction when he found out the gender of his child.

"Miroku, will you pay attention? You almost landed in the ditch," Inuyasha huffed, pulling the other man away from a harvested rice patty. Water still filled the square patch of land, hiding who knew what kind of vermin or demon.

"Sorry, I guess it's still a little unbelievable to me."

"You've had nearly a full moon cycle to get used to having a pup on the way."

"Still, it's such a miracle. You'll understand one day, Inuyasha."

"Yeah, one day. If my stepmother and mother-in-law don't come to blows. This is getting down right frightening. The Lady Mother hasn't said anything."

Miroku looked at his friend closely, seeing the genuine worry in gold eyes. "I'm sorry, my friend, you have an honest concern and I'm caught up in my own thoughts."

"As you should be. Unfortunately, there's no telling who she will take her anger out on. Which means the girls could be in danger with us gone." Sighing, the half dog demon stared out at the horizon, the sunset making half of the sky a bright orange. Shifting clouds brought a familiar scent and he groaned feelingly. "Speak of the devil."

Miroku watched with a sense of déjà vu as Lady Taisho barreled into her stepson. The two went flying several feet before coming to a halt. "Lady Taisho, how nice to see you," he said diplomatically.

"Oh, hello, monk. Inuyasha, what is the meaning of this letter? It's longer than mine and the handwriting is ever so nice. Who is Higurashi-san's scribe?"

"She wrote it herself, Stepmother." Inuyasha felt the usual urge to strangle Sesshoumaru's mother. She was mad because the handwriting was better?

"Hn, how common. Well, I guess I have to concede to the woman's fears for the moment. That doesn't mean I'll forget her impertinence. I will wait the rest of the time your miko needs to complete her studies. We shall see who takes care of your wedding in the twenty first century, however. That will teach a human to try to be better than a demon noble."

"Stepmother…she's not trying to be better than you. Higurashi-san knows how Kagome would be treated if she got married now in the future. And you know that if we became true mates that would leave her pupped. Her classmates and teachers would look down on her for that." Inuyasha held his breath, not daring to hope that the rational argument would work.

"Ridiculous! She would be the wife of a Taisho."

"Yes, but that wouldn't matter to the human world. It would mean everything to us but most humans don't believe in youkai in her time."

"Hn, how disappointing but I take your point. For the moment." The Lady Mother sighed gustily, showing the guys that she was dropping the subject.

"You'll leave things alone?" he asked incredulously. Miroku had a niggling suspicion that she was having fun at their expense.

She smiled craftily, watching their disbelief. It was so _fun_ messing with their heads. Irritating her son and stepson was one of the few pleasures she had left in life. "Of course. It'll take most of the time remaining for the priestess' studies to plan a wedding here anyway. Invitations to the correct clans and individual nobles scattered throughout the country. Food that can be consumed by both races as I assume you'll want the human members of your pack there… So much to do. Oh, yes, and her kimono. It'll take time for the best youkai silk to be harvested. It's ever so much better when the worm is still alive."

"Uh, never thought about it that way…" Inuyasha admitted, wondering if that had been her idea or Higurashi-san's. He looked to Miroku for help but got only an equally confused expression in return.

"Of course you didn't, you're but a man."

"Fine, you can plan a wedding here in the Feudal Era, as long as it's a traditional Shinto ceremony and Kagome gets equal say in what goes on."

"Certainly, she's the bride." Before he could back away, she reached out and ruffled his bangs, being careful to avoid his ears. "Well, then, as that's taken care of, I shall be off." The demoness turned to go, but a faint scent caught her nose. "Do you have ramen?"

"Had ramen," Inuyasha said shortly. "Ate it for lunch. Goodbye, Stepmother."

"Mou, Inuyasha, you're as cold as your brother." With that parting shot she left, her fur trailing behind her.

The two ex-shard hunters watched the departure; sure that there was a catch to the simple dismissal of antagonism. "Oh, hell," the silver-white haired partner uttered. "She's going to wait five hundred years and then confront Higurashi-san."

"Now Inuyasha, there's no way to know whether she'll remember this in that length of time. For all we know, she'll have forgotten all of this by then."

"Not bloody likely. For all we know, Kagome's mother invited her to visit. With a specific date and time just to ensure that they got the year right." He looked longingly down the road, knowing that even at his fastest run he'd never make it to the shrine in time. There was no doubt in his mind that the Higurashi matriarch had done just that.

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it now. Perhaps Kirara will mediate."

"Mediate? Kirara is more likely to offer to referee. She can't stand Stepmother, I told you that."

"Blessed Buddha, have mercy," the monk prayed, knowing that without divine intervention things were hopeless.

* * *

Mama straightened her skirt, folding the apron and putting it away. The table was set for lunch with a wide spread of delicacies, her trump card waiting in the wings if she needed it. When the doorbell chimed to announce the expected visitor, the matriarch placed a welcoming smile on her face and answered it.

"Good afternoon, Lady Taisho, please come in."


	18. Chapter 17

_A/N: Thank you for reviews __**xRaianx**__, __**ILoveInuyasha4Eva**__, and __**Esha Napoleon**__. The "War of the Mothers" is about to commence. Tea anyone? Popcorn perhaps?_

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 17_

Mama poured the Lady Mother tea, joining her at the table when their cups were filled. Although she had a pleasant smile on her face, there was a simmering anger in her chest. This dog demon had caused a lot of trouble for her children in the past. It would not be so easy to forgive the other woman.

Lady Taisho pretended she didn't sense the other mother's mood hidden behind a congenial smile. "I must thank you for your invitation all those years ago. The children will be greatly annoyed with me for coming to you before the requisite amount of time has passed but we cannot leave things as they stand until then, now can we? There is too much to plan and organize."

"Of course not, my lady. As to that, I have been thinking. There is no doubt in my mind that you put on a ceremony for them in the Feudal Era. Therefore, I shall do so here. I am the bride's mother, after all."

"But, dear, where will you put all of us? There is a great number in the clan that must attend."

"A traditional Shinto ceremony need only include family members. The reception is a different matter entirely. I'm sure we would need an entire conference center to accommodate the whole Taisho clan plus our own relatives." Mama smiled as she saw the dig sink home.

"There is no need for a conference center. We are not like cat demons that breed every chance they get." Both women heard the loud hiss from outside the kitchen door. Kirara slammed the door open, entering without waiting for an invitation. In her anger, she barely remembered to remove her shoes.

"How like you, Hisana. That was low, even for you, though. I could comment on the breeding habits of dog demons as well but I happen to be fond of your son and stepson so I will refrain. Good afternoon, Higurashi-san, forgive my intrusion. Hisana is not supposed to be here."

"It's quite all right, Kirara-san. You're welcome to join our discussion. We've only gotten started, haven't we?" The nekomata smelled the demon lady's irritation and the human's satisfaction. So, Kagome's mother could hold her own. It was not hard to figure out how her miko kitten had come to be as formidable as she was. "Would you like a cup of tea? Let me set an extra place for you."

"Thank you, I'll take a cup." The thought of eating at the same table as the other demon didn't sit well but she couldn't very well referee the "discussion" from the other room.

"The boys sent you, didn't they?" Hisana, always known as the "Lady Mother," pouted at the thought of her son and grandson calling in the nekomata. They had so little trust in her. And she hated it when she was called so casually by her given name. The only one who had ever dared to do so was the Inutaisho himself.

"Of course they did. It's a good thing Inuyasha can't be here. This would be trying his patience one step too far." Kirara sat back in her chair, waiting for the wedding plans to resume. "Please continue, Higurashi-san."

"Yes, as I was saying, a very large place is needed for the reception. I don't suppose you own the odd castle or mansion, do you?"

"What demon noble doesn't? My castle in the West will have to do. It's the only place big enough."

"It is accessible to humans? I'm sure Kagome will want to invite many of her school friends."

"Of course it isn't. If it were, we would have been overrun with tourists long before now." Kirara frowned, Mama's only indication that things were not going to work out in her favor unless she did something. "They will have to celebrate her nuptials at a different time and place."

"That will not do, Lady Taisho. Kagome's family is human. There's not a demon or half demon among us." At least she didn't think there was.

"Oh, very well then, if you insist. That only leaves…" A smile of devilment graced regal lips. "Sesshoumaru's estate in the countryside."

"Is it far from Tokyo?"

"Half way to Nagano. Less than a half an hour by train."

"I see. Well, if we have the ceremony here and time it so that everyone can catch a certain train, it should be possible. Kirara-san?" Mama turned to the fire cat for her opinion.

"It will work. There, you've reached a compromise and I didn't even have to brandish my claws at you, Hisana." The knowledge apparently didn't make the nekomata happy. She had clearly been looking forward to seeing blood drawn.

"There's still the matter of Kagome's kimono. She can wear the one she wore in the past. There's nothing wrong with it. Youkai silk doesn't deteriorate as regular fabrics do."

"Absolutely not. My daughter will wear the one her grandmother and I wore. It's tradition." The fierce tone of Mama's voice drew a smile from the spectating Kirara. She took a delicate nibble of the salmon and thought that perhaps blood would be spilled after all.

"She's to be a Taisho, again. All brides wear only the best."

"Kagome's great-grandmother made this kimono. It has been carefully preserved for future generations. I will not budge on this issue, Lady Taisho. It is tradition."

The dog demon frowned, not liking the "tradition" card being played. Perhaps things would look too suspicious if the future stepmother got a say in so many things. Sesshoumaru would not thank her for letting their secret out to the world.

Mama, seeing that the other woman was starting to waver, decided to play her trump card. She didn't want to argue with the woman but she wouldn't let her rule the wedding plans either. The demoness had clearly gotten her way for far too long and in far too many things.

"Lady Taisho, I see you have not eaten anything. Perhaps I could offer something more appealing. Ramen, perhaps?"

Kirara nearly spit out the tuna sushi she was chewing. The urge to snicker was hard to suppress until she had swallowed. Either Kagome or Inuyasha must have mentioned the dog demoness' obsession with the noodles.

"You have ramen, and you did not offer it?" Hisana snapped her eyes at the human mother, forgetting her concealment spell hid the changing of her gold eyes to red.

"Well, one doesn't offer an honored guest ramen unless specifically asked," Mama murmured. She got up, preparing a large bowl of chicken flavored noodles. When they were ready she brought them over to the table, holding them suspended in front of Inuyasha's stepmother. "We have an agreement, then? Kagome will wear the family kimono."

"Yes," the dog demon said, practically salivating. It was all Kirara could do not to laugh.

"And Kagome gets to say what she wants served for food and who is invited. This is not to be a demonstration of the Taisho clan's influence and power."

"Yes, yes," came the agreement. Gold eyes became greedy with want.

Mama let a smug expression overcome her face. She had won, and all without a fight. Using ramen as a bargaining tool would have to be remembered for future use. Something told her she'd have plenty of opportunities to use it in the coming years.

"Good, I'm glad we understand each other, Lady Taisho."

Kirara didn't bother to hold in her amusement as Hisana dug into the ramen. Mama looked on with puzzlement. "It's a dog demon thing," the nekomata explained.

"And here I thought it was just a teenage boy thing."

"No, isn't it grand?" the two tailed demon cat asked and laughed harder. Dogs could be so entertaining.


	19. Chapter 18

_A/N: Thank you to the following for their reviews of the last chapter: __**xRaianx**__, __**ILoveInuyasha4Eva**__, __**impulse960**__, __**Esha Napoleon**__, __**BellaDonnaSpencer**__, **GoldenRose88** and __**xxdarienchibaloverxx**__. And I must thank those of you who've added this to your lists. I hope everyone enjoyed the "War of the Mothers" chapter._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 18_

The harvest came and went, and as fall started to give way to winter, Inuyasha prepared for the long, cold season by making sure both his family and the monk's would have plenty of wood to heat their homes. Sango was showing a great deal and he knew he was right in his belief that she was going to have twins. Kagome still sighed, flipping through books and day dreaming of the time that they would have their own pups.

"Inuyasha, don't you think Sango's a little large for only a few months?"

"Not for twins," he replied absently, chopping another block of wood while she studied from their front stoop.

"Twins, really?" Kagome's head snapped up, the news capturing her attention. "Have you told Miroku and Sango?"

"Told us what?" The monk and demon slayer came around the corner of the building, Kirara and Shippou trailing in their wake. The kitsune child smiled around his lollipop, having heard the half demon's response to his adoptive mother's question.

"The baby's gender," Inuyasha said, wondering if they wanted to know. Humans were never able to tell ahead of time. Some would think it bad luck to know before the child was born. "I could tell you, if you wish."

"Really, you know?" Sango took a seat next to her friend.

"Sure, so do Kirara and Shippou although she won't say anything and I've told the runt to keep his trap shut."

"Oh, Sango, wouldn't that be lovely? In the future we have this machine that can tell us whether we're having a girl or a boy and a special test that can do the same but Inuyasha's must be able to smell it a lot sooner than those things are able to detect." Kagome gazed wistfully at her husband.

"Miroku?" the taijiya inquired.

"Whatever you wish, my dear. If it is your desire, I would not mind knowing what we are going to have."

"You sure about that?" his friend asked, a fanged grin making the monk suspicious.

"I would, nii-san. Please?"

"Sure, whatever. You're having twin girls." Both Inuyasha and Kagome watched as Miroku tripped on some invisible hazard and fell without catching himself. It was probably a good thing he had left his staff at home, there was no doubt he would have knocked himself unconscious with it.

"Girls! Oh, how lovely, don't you think so, Miroku? Miroku, what's the matter?" Sango looked at her husband, seeing the dazed expression on his face.

"Twins…girls…" he trailed off, unable to believe his karma. "The universe is laughing at me."

"Got that right and me along with it." The dog demon picked the shell shocked man up and put him back on his feet. "How does it feel to be the future father of two innocent little girls?" Inuyasha did nothing to hide his laughter.

"But…"

"Two girls who will need to be protected and watched over. You'll have to make sure no boys get any ideas," the half demon continued helpfully. He was enjoying how white the other man was becoming.

Kagome, seeing her friend's face, decided to take pity on the ashen monk. "Inuyasha, stop teasing him," she ordered through her giggles. The thought of a lecherous man with two innocent daughters was amusing.

Sango grinned and sided with their pack leader against her husband. "You have to admit, anata, this is what you get for your misspent youth."

"Twin girls," Miroku said one more time and promptly passed out.

The rest of his family could only laugh at his expense.

* * *

It took an hour for Miroku to come to his senses without immediately falling back into the welcoming darkness when he remembered what his supposed friend told him. He sat up, only to see unashamed grins on the others' faces. They had at least brought him home. "You're enjoying this," the monk accused his wife.

"Oh, yes," she freely admitted.

"I'm cursed," he groaned.

"Poor Miroku," Sango mocked. Her lack of sympathy was very evident.

"It'll be all right," Kagome soothed.

"Imouto, your lack of conviction eases my mind," the dark haired man said sarcastically, knowing he wouldn't get any sympathy from his "family."

"Well, you got to admit Miroku, this is funny."

"But they're going to grow up and young men are going to want to do things to them. I should know, I was like those boys."

"You are like those boys."

"No way, as of today you see before you a reformed man. I will be the most respectable houshi you will ever see." This claim brought about another round of laughter. Clearly, no one believed him.

Catching his breath, Inuyasha became serious. "Miroku, you won't have to worry about anything happening to the girls. I'll keep a nose out for ill intentions."

"Me too," Shippou declared. "They're going to be my cousins now. I got to protect them."

"Thank you, Shippou, you relieve my mind."

"C'mon, you two, let's go home. See you later, Sango, Miroku." Inuyasha escorted the others out, draping his haori over Kagome's shoulders when they got out into the cold afternoon air.

"Inuyasha, maybe we shouldn't have told him. I've never seen Miroku panic like that."

"Keh, you've got to be kidding me, seeing his reaction was priceless."

"Still…"

"I wonder if he realizes it's not just human boys who will be sniffing around the girls," Shippou mused.

"Not likely," his pack leader snorted.

"Will you two stop, he's had enough of a shock for one day. I don't want either of you to mention that to him."

"Sure, Kagome," the kit agreed.

"Keh," was the only thing Inuyasha said.

* * *

Left alone with only Kirara for company, Sango and Miroku settled down near the fire. The demon slayer had a contemplative look on her face, all thoughts of humor gone. "Miroku?"

"Yes, my dear, what is it? I thought you would be still teasing me about my response to having twin girls."

"Are you disappointed? About having girls, I mean."

Miroku's violet eyes widened, only now realizing how she could have interpreted his panic. "Absolutely not, Sango! These two will be loved just as much and just as equally as if they had been boys. We shall teach them how to be demon slayers if that is what you want or I will mentor them in how to use their spiritual powers should they have any." Taking ahold of her hands, he brought them up to his lips. "I promise you, I am not disappointed. I love you, and any children you gift me with. It matters not to me whether they are girls or boys." Smiling ruefully, the lecherous monk sighed. "I only wish that my family did not find it so funny that I am being graced with twin girls."

"I have only one thing to say about that, anata: karma." Her mind now relieved, Sango's sense of humor returned. "You should have known the gods wouldn't wait until the next life to get even with you."

"I am so misunderstood," he carried on, catching the satisfied look on Kirara's feline face. "And you, you knew all this time that we were going to have girls. Could you not have warned us?"

The nekomata's expression turned smug and she shook her head. "Mew!" she responded. Where would the fun have been in that?


	20. Chapter 19

_A/N: Time to thank my reviewers: __**Esha Napoleon**__, __**xxdarienchibaloverxx**__,__** GoldenRose88**__, and __**xRaianx**__. Oh, and thank you to those of you who've added this or I to your lists. This chapter is coming out faster than usual because I'm taking a weekend vacation. You'll not have an update after this until sometime on Monday most likely._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 19_

About the time Sango was ready to kill Miroku for being a lecherous husband, even though his lechery was confined to her, the Lady Mother presented all of them with instructions to come to her castle for Inuyasha and Kagome's wedding. Luckily for the young miko, she had enough time off from school that she could make the trip without having to come up with some plausible excuse for missing more than a week of school or an equally debilitating illness.

Sesshoumaru, with his group, met the inutachi at the bottom of the large mountain that housed Lady Taisho's home. There was no way up the mountain but to fly, a fact that his mother had conveniently forgotten. "You are faring well, slayer," he remarked when she was able to hold her seat on Kirara all the way to the top.

"I am used to carrying extra weight, Sesshoumaru," she snapped back. He wasn't the only one of late to comment on her seemingly amazing ability to balance. For his comment, she didn't bother adding his title. _Men_, she thought, irritated at the whole gender.

"Hn, so you are." He received another glare in reply and decided to keep the rest of his thoughts to himself. Miroku shot him a commiserating look and he felt sorry for the monk. Being married to an overly emotional pregnant woman could not be easy.

"Gee, nii-san," Kagome whispered. "That was insensitive. You never comment on a pregnant woman's weight."

"I did not…" the demon lord clamped his mouth shut, noticing almost too late his brother's shushing motion behind the priestess. "My apologies, slayer."

"I accept."

"My, my, Sesshoumaru, it is no wonder that you're not mated yet. My son does not know how to interact with women. Where, oh, where did I go wrong?" Hisana, known only as the Lady Mother or Lady Taisho, sighed and leaned dramatically sideways in her chair. No one opened their mouths to comment, afraid that the only thing that would come out was laughter. She was clearly performing, not expecting any real reply.

"We're here, you happy, Stepmother?" Inuyasha purposely called her by the name, sensing demon nobles from around the country in the inner rooms of the castle. If she wanted a big show of supporting him, he'd give her something to show off.

"Well, of course, Stepson." A knowing smile curved her tinted lips. Gold eyes narrowed, telling him she knew what he was about. "Shinji, show them to their rooms." A small black dog demon came forward and bowed.

"Yes, my lady. If you will please follow me, Lord Inuyasha."

"C'mon, Kagome." He watched in amusement as the servant carried the enormous yellow backpack that he could have sworn grew as the months went by. He carried Hiraikotsu himself, wondering why Sango had insisted on bringing it when no one but she was qualified to use it and no one was about to let her wield it whether it was a life or death situation or not.

"Right, Shippou, you can play with the puppies later." Two young dog demons lower in class than Sesshoumaru because they obviously couldn't make it out of their four legged form as yet, had come out of one of the inner rooms to frolic with Rin and Shippou.

Sango and Miroku followed the others, Kirara perched on the monk's shoulder and sticking her nose up in the air at the demons that came out on to the balcony to see who the new batch of guests were. Most knew her by reputation and inclined their heads in respect while refraining from jeering at the humans she was protecting.

Sesshoumaru remained where he was, keeping Rin within arm's reach. Kohaku moved uneasily behind him, nervous at being surrounded by strange and powerful demons. "Kohaku, go with Rin when Shinji returns. Keep her in her room."

"Yes, sir." Vaguely the young taijiya wondered how he was supposed to accomplish that feat.

"My own room, Lord Sesshoumaru? Rin won't be staying with you?"

"I will be nearby, Rin. Stay with Kohaku."

"Yes, sir!" she bowed quickly, her smile just this side of cheeky. The dog demon refrained from rebuking her, knowing she was just as nervous as Kohaku around numerous strangers. Any other time he would not mind her making trouble for his mother and her servants but he did not want to start a small war while they were all supposed to be celebrating Inuyasha's marriage to Kagome.

"You should let her have the run of the castle, Sesshoumaru. I doubt she'll ever see the like again." Hisana smirked in satisfaction when Rin turned pleading eyes upon her foster father.

"Another time, Rin," he answered firmly, knowing better than to look her directly in the eye. "We will return to let you explore."

"Okay," she answered. Shinji returned, bringing the other two children to rooms close to where Sango and Miroku were housed. Kohaku's sister came into Rin's room to visit with her brother, figuring that he would be playing babysitter for the demon lord.

"Can I feel the baby kick, Lady Sango?" the girl asked, hopping up from the window seat some ingenious designer had placed overlooking the valley below.

"Babies, Rin. I am going to have twins, according to Inuyasha."

"Girls, I hope," her brother teased.

"Yes, as a matter of fact." Kohaku stumbled back in shock. He hadn't really thought she was going to have girls.

"Miroku-aniki must have panicked. He doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to being a gentleman."

"It was quite entertaining; but don't get him started on all the things they'll have to be protected against. He's likely to talk your ear off."

"Ah, sure." Sango ruffled his hair affectionately before turning to Rin. The little girl had pulled back from feeling the expectant mother's abdomen. "Did you like that?"

"Oh, yes, Lady Sango. It'll be ever so wonderful to play with them when their old enough."

"I would appreciate a big girl like you looking out for my daughters."

"I will, did you hear that, Kohaku?" Kohaku, who had been checking the corridor, pulled his head back inside. "Your sister wants me to look out for your nieces."

The teen looked at his sister, seeing her amused expression. "Guess I'll be looking out for all three of you soon then." Rin stuck her tongue out at the slayer and he shrugged, letting her know it didn't bother him. He was wise to her actions now.

"Can I go play with the puppies now?" Rin asked this of Sango, not her reluctant babysitter.

"Lord Sesshoumaru said you have to stay here. He'd be pretty upset if he found out you went wandering around with all those demons about. And you might fall down the cliff."

Sango slipped out of the room, allowing her brother to continue his arguments unaided. She doubted it was the first time he'd had to play the "Lord Sesshoumaru would be upset" card. Miroku met her in their room, holding out a hand to aid her in lying down so that she could rest.

"Those two are fighting almost like brother and sister."

"Almost. Kohaku is so much more _alive _than he was in the past. Being with Rin is good for him. Sesshoumaru was right to give him the responsibility of looking out for her." Closing her eyes, she savored the feel of him rubbing her back.

"It gives him a purpose, my dear. That is something he needed if he was ever to move forward with his life. I too needed a purpose, as did Inuyasha. You and Kagome are ours. The reason we live still."

"You can be such a romantic, Miroku," Sango murmured as she drifted to sleep.

"Always, my love."


	21. Chapter 20

_A/N: I need to thank the six people who reviewed the last chapter while I was away: __**xRaianx**__, __**Esha Napoleon**__, __**GoldenRose88**__, __**xxdarienchibaloverxx**__, __**Puppylove7**__, and __**HyperFoxChild**__. And I'm pretty sure this and its author was added to some lists while I was gone as well, so thanks. I'm back and ready to write. I hope you all enjoy this chapter._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 20_

Happy that for once the attention was not on her, Sango sat back with great amusement and watched Kagome get a final fitting for her wedding kimono. The fine demon silk practically glowed in the morning light. Her friend didn't. Kagome glowered at everyone as needles got poked, likely on purpose, into her body. Hisana lounged on the opposite side of the room, enjoying the young woman's discomfort.

"Lady Taisho, you promised Inuyasha that this wouldn't take place until after I graduated high school. Mama is going to be mad that you went against your agreement. And didn't you say that these things would take time?"

"I did, child, but frankly the clan wasn't willing to wait that long and neither was I. It's truly amazing what can be accomplished in so little time if you have the help. All the other ladies of the clan were so helpful." Clearly without remorse, the Lady Mother took a sip of her tea. "Besides, what your mother doesn't know won't hurt her."

"And what makes you think I won't tell her?"

"You would tell your mother you are now a married woman? Mated and all?"

"Inuyasha made Mama a promise about that and he won't break it. His word means a lot to him." The demon slayer hid her smile when the insinuation dug home.

"Watch your tongue, pup."

"I'm only stating the truth. And if your maid pokes me one more time with that needle, you'll be looking for a new one."

"Now, Kagome, you're starting to sound like me." Sango tried to redirect her friend's attention. "You've been saying for the last few months that my temper is a lot more volatile than it usually is."

"That's only because your hormones are doing wacky things to your body, Sango. I'm just mad. There's no need for us to be doing this right now. We need to get ready for the babies. And I have finals in a couple of months. Plus, it's winter. You shouldn't be travelling when there are storms always popping up." Kagome studied her friend with worry. "Aren't you cold?"

"No, actually. I have plenty of layers thanks to Miroku's overprotective attitude. I blame your husband, Kagome. Inuyasha's rubbed off on him. If it weren't for the fact that I was wandering the corridors inside, I'd be bundled in so many kimonos, I wouldn't be able to walk."

"Nii-chan's been really sweet, hasn't he?"

Sango snorted, "Sweet, huh? I'll remind you of that in a few years when Inuyasha won't let you walk two feet on your own because you're carrying his child."

Hisana listened with one ear as the girls bantered back and forth. They were true sisters despite having no blood binding them. She watched the younger one toss a small pillow at the other, the slayer easily catching the soft missile. What was it like having such a devoted friend?

Her thoughts were forcibly dragged away from her thoughts by the approach of her stepson. "Inuyasha," she growled in warning. "Men are not allowed in here."

"Keh, I'm just checking on her and Sango. Miroku's worried that Sango's not warm enough." On the other side of the shoji screen, his tone clearly stated that he thought his friend was out of his mind.

"I'm warm enough, Inuyasha. Tell that husband of mine to knock it off."

"I did, he's not listening. Che, and they say women act crazy when pupped." Several gasps let the half demon know he'd stepped out of line.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome snarled. Several of the maids looked impressed with her inuyoukai like tone. "I ought to…"

"Hn, you are incompetent as always with your miko," an aristocratic voice joined in.

"Truly, Inuyasha, your brother's right. You have to choose your words carefully." Miroku's voice drifted to the women through the door.

"Miroku," Sango called sweetly.

"Yes, my dear? Is something the matter? Do you need anything?"

"Only one thing, anata. Go away. And take the other two with you." They heard his defeated sigh and the shuffling of feet. "That means you too Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru."

The Lady Mother waited until they were gone before turning amused eyes on the girls. "Men can be so entertaining, can't they, children?"

"Yes, Lady Taisho," the maids and seamstress chorused.

"Not likely," Kagome muttered.

"Idiots," Sango seconded.

"That too," the dog demon agreed, not in the least put out that they hadn't joined in with the others' answer.

Eventually they all rose, Kagome once more in her own clothes. The Lady Mother looked at the jeans and sweater askance but didn't say anything. The two young women made a strategic retreat for their rooms, knowing their husbands wouldn't be far away.

They were right. Before either could open the door to their room, Both Inuyasha and Miroku slid the portal open, the latter's face concerned. "There you are, my dear. You should probably rest before dinner."

Without answering, Sango turned to her "big brother." It had been so nice not to have to deal with his attitude all day. "Inuyasha, bring me Hiraikotsu."

"Keh, you're not throwing that thing."

"Bring it to me. I have no intention of throwing it."

"Fine, whatever." The half demon ducked back into the room he shared with Kagome and brought out the bone boomerang. He placed it next to the pregnant slayer and waited to see what she'd do next.

"Lift it up a little, right there. Now let go." He did, and only after Miroku was lying on the floor unconscious did he realize what she'd had him do.

"Feel better, imouto?"

"Yes, actually, I do." Kagome giggled at her friend's satisfied expression.

"We'll see you for dinner, Sango." Giving the demon slayer an affectionate hug, the young priestess dragged her beloved away.

Sango stepped carefully over her husband, shutting the door. Kirara looked up from the futon she was napping on, sympathy in her eyes. "Kirara, I know he worries but this is getting too much. You'd think that no woman had ever had a baby before."

"Mew," the nekomata commented, coming to brush up against her fighting companion. Her poor kitten was having more trouble with the expectant father than the unborn babies.

"I love him, I do but he's got to know when to quit." Sighing, the taijiya made herself comfortable on the futon. Kirara laid by her head, purring in reassurance.

Miroku woke in time to hear the sigh and gradually sat up. It had been months since Sango had knocked him out with Hiraikotsu and he figured her patience had been pushed passed its limit. "Sango, my dear, I am sorry. I have made a nuisance of myself, haven't I?"

"Yes, you have," she affirmed without opening her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I never dreamed I'd ever have a child and a wife that I loved. Finding myself blessed not only with a woman of such strong resolve and beauty but two wonderful daughters has made me a bit of a blunderer, I'm afraid. I hope you can forgive me."

Sango cracked an eye open to see whether he really meant the words or if he was just trying to smooth his way out of her being annoyed with him. Grave eyes looked back at her, one hand stretched out in supplication. "I do, Miroku but please… I'm not some delicate flower."

"I know, I know. Looks are deceiving when they come to you, my beautiful demon slayer."

And just what is _that _supposed to mean?" she growled. Kirara's look at the monk also demanded an answer.

"I mean you are much stronger than most would give you credit for," Miroku back peddled. "I am not one of those people." Kneeling, he brushed the hair on her cheek away so that he could kiss her. "I love you," he said.

"Oh, Miroku," she whispered, her eyes tearing. "Now look at what you did. I wanted to save all my crying for tomorrow."

"Well, there's nothing that says you cannot do so now as well."

"It's going to a beautiful ceremony, isn't it?" The houshi breathed a sigh of relief, glad she was no longer angry at him.

"Yes, a very beautiful ceremony."


	22. Chapter 21

_A/N: Now who do I have to thank for their reviews? Ah, yes: __**xRaianx**__, __**Esha Napoleon**__, __**xxdarienchibaloverxx**__, __**Puppylove7**__, __**ILoveInuyasha4Eva**__, and __**butterfly here i come**__. And if that isn't enough, more people have added this or myself to their lists, so I must thank them as well. Now, for all you I&K fans, here's the Feudal Era wedding. It's my hope that you don't stop reading after this. And remember, the next two stories in this series will also have Inuyasha and Kagome in them. You never know what I'm going to make happen next._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 21_

Sango watched with building excitement as her friend and sister in heart was dressed in the most elaborate and fine kimono she had ever seen. That it was made of youkai silk was without a doubt. No matter how many hands folded, refolded, or fussed at it, the thin material never wrinkled nor did it tear. The mostly white attire was patterned with golden moons and silver stars that reflected the clan Kagome was joining.

"You look lovely, Kagome," the slayer said, her own dark purple kimono equally formal and opulent.

"Do you think so, Sango? This is all so sudden. Mama's going to be upset, don't you think?"

"Well, she didn't want you to do anything _physical_ until after you graduated but I doubt she's going to be mad at you for something others insisted on. And we really are in no condition to naysay the elders, are we?" Sango patted her distended womb lovingly.

"No, you're right. I'm nervous, why? We're already married by this era's standards."

"A formal ceremony makes everything much more real, I imagine. That is, until you become in a similar position as I am at the moment." The elder of the two young women grinned, seeing her friend blush scarlet.

"Sango!"

"Hush now, girls. There is still much to do." Hisana swept into the room, surveying her stepson's bride. "Hmm, Suki, that fold should go the other way. And Chichi, get the hair combs, it's time to do Kagome's hair."

"Yes, my lady," the two young demons chorused and rushed to do their lady's bidding. Sango took note of the long list the demoness had in her clawed hands and frowned. The ink looked too dried to have been made in the last few weeks.

"Just how long have you been planning this, Lady Taisho?" she demanded while the young priestess was busy. "A kimono such as that would have taken months to make."

"It did," the Lady Mother answered truthfully. "I began my preparations for this ceremony seasons ago when I first learned of the strange miko who argued so easily and won with my stepson. I'm not completely lacking in compassion, you know. That Kikyo would never have made him happy. Kagome, well, I knew instantly she was a different type altogether."

"I see," Sango said, glad that she was too pregnant to do a face plant into the floor. The audacity of the older woman never failed to astound her. "So, having heard rumors about Inuyasha and Kagome fighting, you immediately started to plan a wedding. You never had any intention of agreeing to Higurashi-san's demands."

Hisana tilted her head as if considering the taijiya's words. "Yes, that's about it." She smiled knowingly at the young woman. "You think me an uncaring noble."

"No, that isn't what I think of you, Lady Taisho. Believe me, I don't think you want to know my opinion of you at the moment." The expectant mother turned her attention away from the groom's stepmother. Kagome was having her hair pinned up in a similar fashion as Sango had on her blessing day. Jeweled combs sparkled amber and white against the miko's raven locks.

"Oh, Sango," the bride breathed, looking into a full length mirror. "The amber reminds me of Inuyasha's eyes. And the diamonds are so pretty."

"Every Taisho bride wears them. They've been kept in the clan vault since the last ceremony more than fifty years ago."

"_Every _Taisho bride? Including Lady Izayoi?"

"Yes," Hisana said grudgingly. "Even her."

"Oh, this is perfect! Wait until I tell Inuyasha." Kagome looked ready to dash out the door. Luckily the lady stood in her way. Sango chuckled, going to her friend.

"Afterwards, Kagome. Didn't you say something about a tradition in your era that says the groom can't see the bride before the wedding?"

"Yes, it's mostly a Western tradition but Japan's adopted a lot of those over the years. And since it has to do with luck, I'm quite happy to follow it."

"Good, now the ceremonial hood. We don't paint our brides' faces white. It looks so ghastly."

"So far, it's like a traditional Shinto ceremony." Pleased, Kagome stood still while the two maids secured the large hood. Her blue-grey eyes were shielded from view although if one were to look, their sparkle would shine passed the hindrance. "I wonder what the guys are up to?"

"Perhaps it's best if we don't know."

"No doubt they are doing what we are," Hisana waved her hand negligently. "There is no need to concern yourself, child."

"Well, yes, but Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru have never been able to be in the same place for very long without fighting. I just don't want anything to ruin all your hard work." Sango frowned, in complete agreement with her friend.

"This is true…"

* * *

Inuyasha stood in front of a similar mirror ready to kill the servant that was fussing with his clothes. The black cloth of his wedding kimono hung perfectly on him. Silver moons and gold stars graced the back and front of each piece, showcasing the clan he was becoming an official part of today. Sesshoumaru had placed himself against one wall, keeping a vigilant eye on the proceedings to ensure that nothing went wrong.

Miroku also took up sentry along one wall, studying both brothers unobtrusively. The demon lord wore an equally elegant outfit, studded with the clan's markings. Material was grey instead of white since the bride was the only one who was supposed to appear in that color. Instead of the long sleeves that he normally sported, Sesshoumaru's cuffs were fitted closely to his wrists. Armor much like his father's had replaced the feminine-like chest shield and the large shark jaw that had protected his heart. There would be no weapons allowed in the shrine during the ceremony, an act of goodwill and luck shown to the bride and groom.

Only close family members, pack, and two elders were to be present at the actually exchange of vows. Sango, Miroku, Shippou and Kohaku would represent Kagome while Sesshoumaru, his mother, and Rin would do so for Inuyasha. A clan elder would be there to witness it on behalf of the Taishos and Kirara would do so in place of a member of the Higurashi family.

The half demon for his part glowered when another retainer began pulling a brush through his hair. "Oi, leave it alone, will you?"

"Inuyasha, you will wear your hair in the appropriate style." Sesshoumaru frowned but did not move from his position.

"What's wrong with leaving it down?"

"You become as an adult today. A true warrior wears his hair up."

"So speaks the idiot who has his hair loose and to his knees. Makes you look like a girl, you know."

"Hn, I am not the one getting married."

"No, and from the way your mother talks, you never will."

"I will do my duty when the time comes." The two brothers stared angrily at each other for several minutes. Miroku sighed, realizing he would have to be the peace maker.

"If either of you ruin this for the girls, you won't have to worry about how he has his hair. You, Inuyasha, won't have any, and Sesshoumaru will lose that which is necessary for begetting an heir. Trust me, neither of you wants to anger a powerful miko on her wedding day. Or a pregnant demon slayer on her friend's wedding day. And that's nothing compared to what Lady Taisho might do to you for disturbing this clan get-together. All three after you would be a nightmare worse than anything Naraku could possibly conjure."

Both dog demons settled down, visions of what might happen running through their heads. Neither wanted anything that the three women might come up with for punishment to happen. "Hn."

"Keh, let's just get this over with." Inuyasha stood still while his hair was put into a top knot. The elder brother then put boots in front of his otouto making the half demon almost whine a complaint. "Do I have to?"

"Without question, Inuyasha."

"Fine." Finally dressed in his finery, Inuyasha followed his brother and best friend out into the hallway. Kohaku stood there, his own formal clothes looking slightly wrinkled.

"Kohaku?" the monk asked. "What seems to be the matter?"

"Rin won't stay in one place and it's been a pain trying to keep her from ruining her kimono. She's currently in with Sango and Lady Kagome getting under everyone's feet. It'll be a miracle if she can get out of the room in one piece."

"And where's Shippou?" his brother-in-law questioned, having sudden visions of fireworks caused by kitsune magic disrupting the proceedings.

"I was supposed to keep track of him?" Kohaku looked to Inuyasha since the cub was really his adopted son.

"No, he's around here with Kirara. She'll keep him in line." The young teen slumped in relief.

"Good, Rin's enough to keep tabs on." He looked up suddenly in alarm. "Not that that's a bad thing, Lord Sesshoumaru."

All three men smirked in their own way. "I know of what you speak, Kohaku." Turning towards the bride's chamber where he could hear his ward, the demon lord raised his voice enough so that she'd hear him. "Rin, come out now. Stay with Kohaku and do not ruin or dirty that kimono. You will not get another like it otherwise."

The males heard the squeak signaling obedience and a small girl squeezed out an equally small opening in the shoji door. Rin, her hair brushed and without its normal pig tail, came to stand in front of her guardian. She wore a yellow kimono, one crescent moon on the left shoulder to denote whose clan and guardianship she belonged to.

"I'll be good," she said, giving everyone a wide smile. "And Kagome-sama looks ever so beautiful, Lord Inuyasha."

"Of course."

"Rin, we will go now."

"Yes, my lord. They're almost ready too. Lady Taisho says you better hurry because you're not supposed to see the bride until she comes into the shrine."

"Hn." Sesshoumaru briefly laid a clawed hand on her head before nodding briefly to the young slayer. Rin really was giving the boy fits. Any other day it would be amusing. "Let us go."

Miroku brought up the rear, walking sedately passed all the clan members and ignoring their looks of distrust and hatred. Even without the Wind Tunnel, there was little to fear from them. Jaken waited for them, his sole job today to keep track of everyone's weapon while in the shrine. The monk got to carry his staff into the shrine, leaving it against one wall before approaching the altar. He said prayers and blessings for his friends' ceremony, wanting nothing to go wrong. He'd been absolutely serious when he'd warned the brothers about what would happened if something did go wrong. Sango had assured him of that fact when they'd parted ways earlier.

Shippou was waiting for them with Kirara, as was the clan elder, a wise dog demon by the name of Hano. Long grey hair reached the man's ankles even with the top knot in place. Wrinkles covered the man's face and even though he had an enormous amount of _youki_, it was clear he meant them no harm.

"Can I sit on your shoulder, Miroku?"

"Of course you may, my friend. You want to get a good view, don't you?"

"Yeah, I want to be eyeball to eyeball with Inuyasha when he goes dumb upon seeing Kagome in her kimono. I've seen it and it's the best I've ever seen."

"Hmm, perhaps this will come in handy then?" the houshi produced a small throw-away camera Kagome had given him last night to take pictures with. How she thought he'd know how to use it was beyond him.

"Oh, I'll do it, I'll do it! Can I?" the cub asked the half demon.

"Sure, just don't blind us with the flash," Inuyasha said, having seen the cub work a similar one in the past. Kagome was really going to spoil Shippou if he didn't watch out.

"I won't!" Shippou took possession of the camera, seeing movement in the doorway. Hisana came in a flurry of panic, her eyes going instantly to the monk in resplendent silk robes.

"You are a priest," she said unnecessarily. "You can perform a wedding."

"Yes…" Miroku said hesitantly. "Technically I can do that."

"Good, you will officiate," she commanded.

Sesshoumaru waited until she sailed back out of the room before laughing. "She forgot to bring a priest. After her months of planning, she forgot to get a priest. I shall not let her forget this soon." Kirara mewed in agreement, equally amused.

"Months?" his brother questioned suspiciously.

"Hn, it has been in fact nearly a year and a half since she began planning this production. She thought she could get away with pretending to give in to your bride's mother's requests but she'd already had the wedding kimono mostly finished by then and admitted as much to me when I returned with Higurashi-san's letter."

"So all that crap about letting bygones be bygones was just a cover."

"It was."

"Should have known she wouldn't let it go."

"Your mother is a truly odd person, Sesshoumaru," Miroku felt the need to point out.

"Hn, and you wonder why I ignore her."

"Not really," the others answered together.

* * *

Once everyone was assembled to Hisana's liking, she positioned herself at the front of the room next to her son and waved at the attendant to open the shrine door for her future daughter-in-law. Although she didn't like the way Kirara had made her point, the fire cat had been right. Kagome was part of her clan now and as the only mother figure Inuyasha had left, at least in the Feudal Era, it was her duty to show his pack how to go on. In that vein, it was her responsibility to see to it that these pups had every advantage possible. And a formal wedding was just the beginning.

She watch her stepson's eyes widen and heard his swift intake of breath when he caught sight of Kagome in her wedding kimono. Kohaku acted as an escort while Rin and Sango held the ends of the long gown so that it wouldn't trip the young priestess. The servant quietly backed out of the room, shutting the door and began keeping guard so that no one would disturb the proceedings.

Miroku smiled softly at his "little sister" and bent to kiss her cheek in blessing. "Are you ready, imouto?"

"Yes, are you going to officiate?"

"Indeed, it seems Mother forgot one or two necessary details along the way." Sesshoumaru nodded his approval of her attire. "You look appropriate."

"Thank you, _nii-san_," she responded wrinkling her nose at him. Kagome supposed that's as much of compliment as she was likely to get from the stoic demon.

"Kagome, you're…" Inuyasha couldn't form the words to describe his miko. He vaguely heard the whirl of the camera as it went off and didn't blink when the flash temporarily blinded him.

"You too, Inuyasha," she returned, unable to find the words to describe what she wanted to say. "Go ahead, Miroku."

Neither the bride nor the groom listened while the monk went on about the responsibilities and joys of marriage and it was only when the _san san kudo_ was to be performed that they tuned back in. Inuyasha held her eyes as he took a sip of the small saucer, wrapping her hands around it before she took a sip. They did this exchange until the "three times three" had been completed.

Sango didn't bother holding back tears as the poignancy of the ceremony got to her. Rin passed her a handkerchief, all the while wondering what was so sad about such a happy event. "It's so beautiful," the demon slayer whispered.

"Uh-huh," the little girl agreed quietly. Sake saucers had been passed between the family members so that they could share in the exchange of promises.

"Otouto, here are symbols of your new status, wear them so that all will know whose clan you belong to." Sesshoumaru placed two rings in his brother's hand. One was the onyx ring that Inuyasha had worn in the future although the band was simple gold. A smaller version, its setting delicate was clearly made for Kagome.

"Kagome, I'm giving you this as a sign of my promise. My love and my fidelity are yours forever."

"Inuyasha, I'm giving you this as a sign of my promise. My love and my fidelity are yours forever."

"And now, as they say in your time, Kagome, you may kiss the bride." Inuyasha didn't waste time wondering where the lecher had gotten that piece of information. He simply brought his hands up and framed his priestess' face. lowering his head, he gently kissed her, sealing the promise and making a new one. A promise for an eternity of love and happiness.


	23. Chapter 22

_A/N: So you liked the last chapter, huh? If the following five people are to believed, the answer to that is a big yes. Thank you, __**xRaianx**__, __**Esha Napoleon**__, __**GoldenRose88**__, __**Puppylove7**__, and __**xxdarienchibaloverxx**__, for your reviews._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 22_

Winter became harsh and the inutachi began seeing each other only when going outside became a necessity. Kagome's time oddly enough was having an equally hard winter so she stayed mostly there until the first hesitant signs of spring arrived during an early thaw in late February. Making the most of it, the miko instantly made a dash to her friends' home, not even waiting until Inuyasha came to get her as he usually did on the weekends.

Sango was mending a kosode for her husband when Kagome arrived baring gifts. The heavily pregnant taijiya was glad for the interruption. Having been cooped up with only Miroku and Kirara for company, the other young woman rejoiced in the sister of her heart's visit.

"Kagome, it's good to see you."

"I thought you might be glad to see me. Kirara's great company as all cats are but you can't understand her yet so that makes conversation hard. And Miroku's a guy so there's just some things he wouldn't understand. Where are the guys anyway? No one was home when I dropped off my things."

"An extermination. Humans aren't the only ones taking advantage of the thaw."

"Even Shippou?"

"His tutor is taking him to a gathering of kitsunes. Inuyasha didn't think you'd mind as long as he came back in one piece. Our little mischief maker should return in a couple of days, depending on the weather."

"What mischief has he been making?" Kagome frowned, wondering why Inuyasha hadn't told her Shippou had gotten into trouble again.

"Oh, nothing to ground him over, Kagome. He tried clearing the snow off of Lady Kaede's roof with his fox fire. Right about the same time she came out of her hut."

"Did he know she was coming outside?"

"I don't believe so. She was not amused and had him continue the project without using anything but that toy shovel you gave him for his birthday."

"Ah, well, that's fitting punishment. That shovel was meant to move sand not snow. I would have liked to have seen his face. Oh, speaking of faces, I have the pictures Shippou took of the ceremony. Do you want to see them?" Kagome dug through her bag, bringing out an envelope filled with photos.

For the next several minutes, with heads bent together they looked over captured memories. Some of them were a little blurry, it had taken Shippou a few minutes to get the hang of the camera again but the look of pure stupefaction on Inuyasha's face was clear as day. Kirara came to perch on the priestess' shoulder so she too could enjoy the pictures, purring with delight at the scene of the two giving branches of the _Sakaki_ tree in offering to the gods. That had been the last bit of the ceremony before the witnesses and the bride and groom had joined the rest of the clan and other visitors in celebration. She recalled quite a few dignified guests getting sloshed and had prepared herself to defend her kittens' right to be there. By some divine blessing, no one had made an issue out of the humans having joined the Taisho clan.

"It was lovely, Kagome, truly."

"Just think, Sango, since we're going to be living centuries, that means we'll have to get 'married' several times. What ceremonies we could have." Kagome smiled dreamily before noticing the grimace her friend gave. "Sango, are you all right? Should I get Kaede-obaasan?"

"No, thank you. The girls are just kicking my ribs. And every other organ in my body. At least it feels that way."

"Would you like to go to the hot springs? I noticed the path was clear when I came from the well. Kirara could go with us to make sure we didn't fall. I bet the water would do you good. It'd help relax your muscles."

The demon slayer sighed wistfully. "I don't know… I feel so ungainly and fat."

"Nonsense, Sango. I bet those babies weigh less than Hiraikotsu and you never had trouble carrying that on your back. And you're just as graceful and agile as ever. Isn't that right, Kirara?" The nekomata mewed her agreement, giving the pregnant woman a kiss on her cheek.

"You think so?"

"I know so. C'mon, we'll tell Kaede-obaasan where we're going just in case Inuyasha and Miroku come back early." The miko helped the slayer to her feet and bundled her into a large coat that she had gotten her. The thick garment had come in handy on her trips outside.

They stopped briefly to tell the elder priestess where they were going and at Kagome's to pick up bathing supplies. Kirara transformed so that she could catch the girls if they slipped and walked sedately by their sides.

Carefully sinking down into the hot water, Sango let out a sigh of relief when she felt her taunt muscles relax. She leaned back against the rocks and closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth that soaked into her bones. Kagome made herself comfortable also, absorbing the benefits of a natural spring. There was nothing quite like being out in the open air even if it was winter time.

"Kagome, this was a wonderful idea."

"I knew it would be. Even Lady Kaede agreed with me. If you get your hair wet, I'll wash it for you. There's no reason you can't feel refreshed all the way."

The taijiya nodded absently but she was liking the bath too much to verbally comment. Kagome scrubbed her hair and washed her back before tending to herself. Only after their skin pruned did they regretfully get out of the water. Bundled in thick towels and coats, the two ex-shard hunters made a bee-line for home.

Once inside, they dried off to the best of their ability and changed into clean clothing. Kirara gratefully took up a spot near the fire, now free to take her own bath. The girls talked and giggled, brushing out their hair so that it would dry faster.

"That was divine, Kagome. Thank you." Sango yawned, trying to hide her fatigue. The young priestess caught it anyway, and ushered her into her bedroom. Covered and cosseted, Sango felt her eyes drifting shut. "Lay down here, Kagome, and tell me about your week."

"The teachers are getting ready for finals, and the tests are going to be hard. Most of mine have decided to cover bits and pieces from the whole year." The miko paused long enough to yawn.

"It won't be long now, will it?"

"No, the school year ends next month. A little before you're due. We get a couple of weeks before the next term starts and I plan on being here for the whole of it. Mama says twins always come early, so I figure the timing will be about right."

"Two more years, then you and Inuyasha can start a family too."

"I would really love that, Sango."

"Do you thing he'll flip out the same way Miroku did if he has a daughter?"

"I'll think he'll be worse…"

Kirara padded into the room and sat for a moment gazing at the two young women. They had fallen asleep while talking, Kagome unprotected against the slight chill of the room. It took some effort in her small form but she managed to place an extra blanket over the young priestess before going out into the other room to find small pieces of wood that she could add to the fire. As tempted as she was to transform in order to make the job easier, she knew the spike in her _youki_ would awaken them in fright.

Several minutes later, the nekomata was satisfied that the heat in the house would be sufficient until Miroku returned to add larger logs to the fire. She could just feel the faint tingle of Inuyasha's _youki_ against her senses so she knew it wouldn't be that long. A good thing too, because she was starting to get hungry. With the monk's arrival, it would be safe to leave her kitten if it became necessary. Until he did though, she wasn't going anywhere.

* * *

Miroku whistled a soft tune, pleased at the job he and Inuyasha had done in the village just down the road. Not only had they gotten monetary compensation, but barrels of rice too. "You cheated them, you know," his friend groused, hoisting the barrels onto his shoulders again.

"I do beg your pardon. Our services were certainly worth every coin and barrel."

"With your power, only one sutra was needed and I could have used my claws just as easily as Tetsusaiga."

"Perhaps but we have families to support now, Inuyasha. And better to use too many sutras then not enough."

"Keh," the half demon scoffed before stopping in the middle of the road. He closed his eyes briefly, taking in the scent on the wind. "Wench came home without waiting for me to go get her."

"Where is she?"

"With Sango."

"Ah, it's good the thaw happened then. My beloved slayer has been so bored staying inside. A visit with her little sister is just what she needs. Let us make haste then, Inuyasha, so that we may be home with our wives."

"After you," the dog demon said, wanting nothing more than to be alone with his miko.

* * *

They returned to the village, finding few outside despite the warmer weather. Kirara was waiting for them inside Miroku's, her eyes gazing pointedly at the stack of firewood. "I understand perfectly, my feline friend. We'll get this place heated up nicely in no time. Where is my lovely bride?"

"She and Kagome are sleeping in the other room. Looks like they went to the hot springs and got tired out."

The fire built up, the two men stored the barrels and then went to check on their soul mates. Silently they watched the two women who had changed their lives, each lost in thought. Neither had ever thought to have a chance for a family, much less love. "They are so very precious to us, are they not? Is it not a wonder that Naraku was the only one to threaten us with our feelings for them?"

"Not really, demons know what happens to others who threaten another demon's mate. Even though I was only loosely associated with the clan back then, the wrath of every member could have fallen on another family's head if Kagome had been ever truly used as a hostage against me."

"Not that they would have had the opportunity. You'd have annihilated them before word ever reached your stepmother."

"Yes, I would have. Do you remember the fish demon that had tried to kidnap Sango but apologized immediately upon learning you and she were together?"

"I see, he was trying to forestall punishment."

"Keh, he knew you'd purify him for attacking her." Inuyasha sighed and leaned down to wake Kagome. She murmured in her sleep but didn't waken. "She's out for a while. Help me get her into that stupid coat and I'll take her home."

Kirara watched with amusement as the boys bundled the miko into the futuristic garment. Inuyasha then left, taking all of the paraphernalia Kagome had brought back with them. Miroku returned to his wife, sitting down next to her. Sango opened her eyes, smiling softly at seeing he'd returned.

"Was it successful?"

"It was. I see you enjoyed a bath, I'm glad. Go back to sleep, Sango, I believe I too shall rest a while."

"It won't be long now, Miroku. Are you excited?" she asked, wrapping his arm around what remained of her waist.

"Excited, and terrified. Your health is what truly matters to me, Sango. As long as I have you, I do not care about having children."

Tears filled her eyes, making her wish she could see his face but he had laid down behind her. "Not even a son?"

"Not even a son," he avowed. Societal convention dictated a woman give her husband at least one son to carry on his name and trade but none of that mattered to the houshi.

"How did I ever end up so lucky?"

"I do not know, my dear. I do believe even if Naraku had never raised his ugly head again, we would have met. I was a wandering monk and you a traveling demon slayer. Our paths were bound to cross at some point."

"I'm just thankful they did, my lecherous monk."


	24. Chapter 23

_A/N: Is everyone ready for the babies to arrive? Thank you to __**Esha Napoleon**__, __**xRaianx**__, __**ILoveInuyasha4Eva**__, __**xxdarienchibaloverxx**__, __**Puppylove7**__, and __**HyperFoxChild**__ for their reviews, and to those who've added this to their lists._

Diclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 23_

The first year of high school for Kagome ended and she stood talking to her trio of friends in the courtyard when Inuyasha rushed in to get her. One look at his face told her all she needed to know. Sango had gone into labor. It was early for the slayer to be giving birth but she figured enough time had passed that both mother and baby girls should be all right.

"Sango's asking for you," the half demon said unnecessarily. _Asking _was a bit mild for the demand she had thrown his way upon his return to the village with Miroku. His "little sister" had in fact pulled his ear down to her level and _shouted _that she wanted Kagome there now. Inuyasha had happily left her in the care of the elderly miko and her husband to go and bring his wife back.

"Let me change my clothes and we'll be on our way. Does Lady Kaede need anything?"

"Just you." Kagome nodded decisively and waved goodbye to her friends. Once out of sight, she got on his back and they returned to the shrine with all possible haste.

Mama watched the two teens fly into the house via her daughter's window and smiled, knowing what was happening. She had been informed of Kagome's intentions to spend the entire two weeks of her break on the other side because Sango's time had drawn near. Calmly she went into the kitchen and packed bentos for the group, knowing there'd be no time or inclination to make something to eat in the near future.

Kagome came dashing down the stairs first, her yellow bag slung over one shoulder. "Thank you, Mama," she gasped, out of breath. Quickly she stuffed the offered food in the bag and handed it to Inuyasha when he caught up to her.

"Your welcome, dear. Let me know how things go."

"You bet! Later, Mama." Inuyasha nodded to his mother-in-law in farewell and appreciation for the food. He had a feeling he and Miroku would be left to their own devices for dinner.

"Bye, dears."

Sango could be heard yelling her discontent at the well when Kagome climbed out. Clad in a pair of jeans and a short sleeved shirt so that she'd be comfortable and not worry about dirtying her uniform, the young priestess hurried to her friend's side, leaving Inuyasha to bring her bag home. Miroku stood outside the house looking lost and in pain.

"Nii-chan, don't worry. She'll be fine. Lady Kaede knows what she's doing and I won't leave her side unless it's to get something for Baa-san. You go with Inuyasha." If they had been in the future she might have insisted he go to Sango but as it was, men were forbidden from being in the birthing room in the Feudal Era. Which by the look on his face was just as well. The warrior monk was as pale as a ghost.

"She's in pain."

"Yes, nii-chan. That usually happens when muscles contract tightly and force a large object out of a small opening."

Miroku became even whiter and Kagome watched as his eyes rolled back into his head and he fainted. "Oops, I guess I shouldn't have said anything."

"Keh," her husband said weakly behind her. Inuyasha was looking just as pale. "I'll take him to our place," he managed before taking the houshi and leaving as quickly as his hanyou abilities would let him.

"Men can be such babies," she said under her breath as she entered the home. Kaede was coming out of the bedroom to get more water and Kirara was keeping guard over the proceedings. If the shouts and screams were bothering her sensitive ears, she gave no sign.

"There ye are, child. I was beginning to wonder what was taking you so long. Quickly now, it won't be much longer. I have a feeling our taijiya has been in labor longer than she's let on. First births normally take hours to come to fruition."

"Sorry, Kaede-obaasan. I changed quickly. What do you need me to do?"

"Keep her distracted as much as possible and wipe her forehead every once in a while. And what ever you do, don't let her squeeze your hand. Give her something else to hold or you won't be using your bow for several days if not weeks when she crushes it."

Kagome hid her grin, although she knew the elder was being completely serious about Sango's strength. "Sure. Sango, I'm here."

"It's about time," the elder girl said with a snarl. "Where's that husband of mine? I'm going to kill him when this is all over, just see if I don't. Does he know how much this _hurts_?"

"I think he has a vague idea," the other returned, remembering his faint. Kagome situated herself behind Sango's back, allowing the sister of her heart to rest against her in between contractions.

"Kagome, I swear, I'm never doing this again."

"Uh-huh," she agreed without much conviction. "You say that now but you'll forget all about it after the girls are born."

"I will _not _and I won't let Miroku forget it either. If he wants another child, _he_ can give birth to him or her."

"That's biologically impossible, Sango." Kagome wiped the sweat from her friend's forehead, offering a glass of cold water to sip from afterwards.

"I'll make it possible," Sango sneered, another sharp pain bending her over.

Kaede smiled to herself, careful not to let the demon slayer see her amusement. Getting clean linens ready, she checked Sango's progress. "Get ready to push, my dear."

"I'll eviscerate every last male I know."

"Of course," Kagome nodded, hard pressed not to laugh. She wondered if Inuyasha was able to hear all of the threats from his imouto.

* * *

Inuyasha gulped, having no trouble understanding every word coming out of the demon slayer's mouth. Their homes weren't so far apart that the screams and shouts weren't clear as day for his hearing to pick up. Miroku leaned against the far wall, only just recovering.

"What's she saying?" the monk wanted to know.

"You don't want to know, trust me."

"But she's in pain, I should really go to her."

"She's not in so much pain that she isn't threatening to do away with us. Every male, demon included, that she knows. Besides, men aren't allowed in the birthing room, you know that."

"But..."

"Keh, you should have bought that cask of sake the merchant offered you. I told you you'd need it when we got back."

"I need to be alert in case she asks for me."

A particularly loud scream echoed through the house and Miroku blanched once more. "Was Kagome right or was she just having a laugh at my expense?"

"About the whole muscle thing? Oh, I have no doubt she was completely serious. She's been reading up on the birthing process." Inuyasha winced at the memory.

"Buddha have mercy."

Inuyasha snorted but he was having similar thoughts. The screams stopped and suddenly an vaguely familiar sound reached furry ears. The wail was of complaint but if he wasn't mistaken... "The first one's out," he said almost to himself.

"It is? She is, I mean? Is she all right?"

"Sounds fine to me. Second should be coming any minute." The half demon suddenly found his friend clutching his sleeve eagerly.

"Tell me everything. Can you hear what they're saying about her?"

"Not with Sango back to screaming, I can't. Relax, you should be able to see your family in a little while."

Miroku slumped, knowing what his friend said was true. Taking a deep breath, he tried to relax by meditating. Calling on the lessons taught to him by both his father and Mushin, he began to chant blessings under his breath. Kagome would surely come get him when everyone was taken care of and ready for him.

* * *

Kagome chuckled softly, tears of joy running down her face to match Sango's. Two tiny duplicates of their mother wiggled impatiently for their first feeding. Soft mews of complaint came from their lips as she helped Lady Kaede bathe them for the first time.

"They're absolutely perfect, Sango."

"I couldn't have done it without you here, Kagome," her friend whispered. The new mother was resting while she let the others wash her daughters in the warm water.

"Oh, I doubt that. I am glad though that everything went well. Would you like me to go get Miroku now?"

"Let me get her cleaned up first," Kaede stalled the younger miko. "Once she's settled, we'll bring in the new father. Maybe he'll be finished fainting by then."

"Yes, Lady Kaede," the girls chorused and then giggled.

* * *

Miroku and Inuyasha looked up together as Kagome pulled the shoji door open. The half demon could detect no sadness in her scent even as he saw the tracks made by her tears. "Would you like to see your little girls, nii-chan?"

"They're..."

"Beautiful, perfect. They look just like Sango right now."

"Thank you, Buddha. And Sango, she's..."

"Happy and healthy. They're all waiting for you." Kagome and Inuyasha trailed behind the impatient monk only staying in their friends' home long enough to see the new father look upon his daughters for the first time.

Miroku sank down onto his knees, unable to believe his eyes. Violet storms clouded over with tears as he gazed at the miracle that was his children. "Anata," Sango whispered. She had only seen him cry once since she had known him.

"Thank you, Sango, for these beautiful baby girls. What shall we name them?"

"Well, I was thinking we could call this one Amami, and the other Akeno. They're such happy babies really. And they're a bright gift from the gods."

"Yes, a beautiful sky, and a bright meadow. I could not ask for more, my dearest Sango."

The houshi laid down next to his family, the horror and worry of the past hours fading away. "Sango, did you really mean all the things you said while giving birth? Inuyasha could not help but hear your shouts."

"What things?"

"You don't remember?"

"Not a word. Was it something important?" Miroku felt the sweat drop on the back of his head but quickly shook a denial.

"No, nothing of importance, my dear." If she didn't remember, he certainly wasn't going to bring the subject up.


	25. Chapter 24

_A/N: Thank you __**Esha Napoleon**__, __**GoldenRose88**__, __**ILoveInuyasha4Eva**__, __**xRaianx**__ and __**Puppylove7**__ for the reviews. And more people have added this story or its author to their lists, thanks._

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Ch. 24_

Since the arrival of Sango and Miroku's twins, Kagome had been counting down the days, weeks and even months until she and Inuyasha could be a married couple in deed and not just in name. Her beloved husband would have been scandalized to know how often she really thought about having a baby. Inuyasha had seemed almost traumatized by Amami and Akeno's birth. He'd sworn up and down for several days that he was never putting her through that.

The miko had figured it was because he had heard every word Sango had shouted during her labor. A rant that had quickly been forgotten by the slayer. Unfortunately it was not so easily forgotten by the males of the pack. Not that any of them were inclined to remind her of what she'd said.

Even now, almost two years after the incident, Miroku was hesitant to get his wife pregnant again. Kagome wondered if Inuyasha had told their friend yet that he was going to be a father again. She mentally shrugged and went back to studying for her last test as a high school student. As she'd known they would, the material and exams had gotten harder as the years went on and she was frankly glad she wasn't going to university. At least not at the moment. The young priestess knew there was a time when she would have to go at least once in the intervening years between the Feudal Era and the present but she figured that if she were going to be living a good six or seven more centuries, college could wait a while.

Her mother was prepared to let her go live in the past, having been promised that when the right amount of time had gone by, her daughter and son-in-law would return to her, allowing her to put on a wedding for their whole family. Knowing that she would get to meet Sango, Miroku and all of her demon friends, especially Shippou, Mama was happy to let Kagome choose her own path. The miko was just glad Shippou would be an adult by the time she did. If he was being spoiled now as Inuyasha claimed by all the treats Kagome gave him, she couldn't imagine how he'd be if her mother got a hold of him as a kid.

The window to her room slid open quietly and she looked over her shoulder at the half demon coming in to sit on her bed. "Is everything set?"

"Yeah, I've brought as much stuff from this time as I dare. Most will be used within a year but some things we'll have to burn when they're too worn out to use anymore. As your mother said, we have to be careful about what we bring to the past. How's the studying?"

"It's blurring, actually. Why do I get stuck with teachers who think we need to be reminded about every little thing that we've learned?"

"Beats me. Why don't you step away from it all for a while?" Kagome smiled, getting up to do just that. She came to sit next to him, leaning into his side.

"Have you told Miroku he's going to be a father again?"

"Nah, I'll let Sango tell him this time. As long as she knows to be careful, I don't mind missing out on seeing his reaction."

"Inuyasha, do you think we could start a family right away? With Shippou gone so often, I really want a baby. I want a little you, ears and all."

Inuyasha looked down into her face, smirking briefly. "You're jealous of Sango."

"Maybe a little."

"Kagome, I don't want you to go through that kind of pain."

"But it's a good kind of pain. Please, Inuyasha?" The half demon sighed, knowing he could never deny her something if it made her this happy.

"Fine, we'll start a family right away." He buried his nose in her hair, taking an exaggerated breath. "Have to wait a bit though."

"Why's that?"

"You're not in heat at the moment."

"You're such a pervert," she said, breaking out into laughter when he tumbled her backwards onto the bed.

* * *

Sango smiled secretly to herself, choosing the right time and place to tell her monk that she was once again with child. The girls were in bed, Kirara curled up in between them. She had taken to protecting the twins like they were her own and the demon slayer could only thank her for the attentiveness.

Alone in their own room, she had to admit keeping a separate room for her and Miroku had been an excellent idea, Sango spread out their futon and readied herself for bed. Perhaps seducing her husband of nearly three years was the best way to relax him into a false sense of security. Luckily for her, she hadn't had the same problems with morning sickness with this child as she had had with the twins.

Sometime later when her lecherous houshi was dozing with a contented smile, Sango decided to drop the bomb. "Miroku, anata?"

"Hmm, is something the matter, my dear?" his tone clearly stated that nothing could be further from the case in his world.

"I wanted to tell you something important."

"And what might that be?"

"I'm pregnant again." Dead silence filled the room. "Anata?" she inquired when she couldn't even hear him breathe.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, nii-san confirmed it for me."

"This is what you want, Sango? You were in such pain last time."

"It is," she affirmed.

"Then I shall look forward to the addition to our family, my dear." Miroku lifted her hand to his lips, kissing the back of it. He made a mental note to subdue Inuyasha with a sutra for not warning him sooner. "We will be blessed yet again."

* * *

Like Kagome had done for her, Sango dragged the miko to the hot springs for her final bath before becoming a real wife. She pampered the young priestess and made sure that Kagome knew she could ask her anything without feeling embarrassment. And just like Mama's gift to the demon slayer, Kagome received a lingerie outfit that was sure to make Inuyasha's nose bleed.

"Sango, Mama told me what to expect but I didn't want to ask her what it was like. It would have been too weird hearing about her and my father."

"It'll hurt at first; I know she told you that. But if he's as gentle as Miroku was, you should find the experience well worth the discomfort. Kagome, have you thought about the possibility of losing your powers?"

"Lady Kaede was concerned about that too but I don't think there's anything to worry about. The strength of my powers has always come from my heart. As long as that remains pure, I should keep my spiritual powers regardless of whether or not I remain a maiden." The miko ducked under the water to rinse out her hair. "Now, share some wifely secrets. C'mon, nee-chan." Kagome grinned and listened closely as Sango shared her knowledge.

Refreshed and clothed in nightwear certain to make any young lady blush, Kagome was escorted home by the sister of her heart and a smug Kirara. Shippou was spending the night at Sango's so the priestess didn't have anything to worry about in that regard either. She pushed aside all her doubts, knowing Inuyasha would take good care of her. The half demon had been anticipating this moment far longer than she had, Kagome admitted to herself. Over the last couple of years he had become increasingly "affectionate" in his attentions, making her suspect he was just biding his time.

She stopped outside her door, turning to the other two females. "Thank you, Sango, for all you've done for me tonight. If it's all right, I'll come see you some time tomorrow."

"Of course it is, Kagome. You take care and don't be afraid to tell Inuyasha if you don't like something. He loves you and would never want to make you uncomfortable."

"I know. Good night, sister of my heart," Kagome said, embracing Sango and giving Kirara a quick hug.

"Good night, imouto."

Drawing in a breath, the girl from the future joined her husband, ready to become a full wife. Inuyasha watched her with brilliant gold eyes, tracking every movement she made. "Are you ready, koiishi?"

"I am." She stood in front of him near their bed, and with a smile took off the matching robe to her lingerie. The wide eyed stare it earned drew a giggle from her.

"Remind me to thank your mother in five hundred years."

"I will." Kagome paused, thinking briefly of the family she had left that evening. It saddened her for a moment to think that she would have to wait five centuries to see them again but she was not going to linger on the thoughts. "I wish to be your true mate now, Inuyasha."

"You always were."

* * *

Sango checked on her daughters, noticing for the first time that Kirara was not curled up where she usually made her bed. "Miroku, have you seen Kirara?"

"I believe she is keeping watch for our friends, much as Inuyasha did for us. There is no need to be concerned."

"I'm not. I know they'll be taken care of. And Inuyasha wants only the best for Kagome."

"Just as I want only the best for my beloved taijiya. How long do you think it'll be before she is in the same condition you are?"

"A few weeks, no more. And don't be such a lecher. This is your little sister we're talking about." Sango batted him on the arm, frowning.

"You're right," he grimaced. "She took all the fun out of things when she started calling me that, you know. I can't tease Inuyasha at all about manly things."

"You'll find a way, I'm sure. Let's retire for the night, Miroku. I'm tired."

"Of course, my dear. I've been remiss in my duties as a devoted husband."

The demon slayer smiled, letting him lead her to their bed. "We're such lucky women, anata. She has her knight, and I have my monk."

Miroku found nothing to dispute in that claim. "I have most definitely always been your monk."

"And always will be."


	26. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

_Her Monk_

_Epilogue_

It wasn't even a week after Inuyasha and Kagome finally became official mates that Sesshoumaru came to the village, a murderous gleam in his eye. From the crying Rin and the equally angry Kohaku, the inutachi easily concluded that the demon lord was not mad at them. Sango and Kagome rushed to console the distraught little girl, now in her eleventh year, ushering her away from her guardian so that the guys could talk about whatever was wrong. Kohaku followed them at a distance and the demon slayer was proud of how much her brother had matured.

"Rin, will you tell us what's wrong?"

"Lord Sesshoumaru is angry."

"Yes, dear, but that's not unusual, is it?"

"It's because Rin keeps getting kidnapped."

"That's not your fault, Rin. Nii-san knows that."

"Kohaku and Jaken are mad too."

The fifteen year old taijiya got shot dirty looks and he shrank back, afraid their combined wrath would come down on his head. "Not at you, Rin," he sighed, the litany an old one. How many times did he have to tell the girl that?

"Rin doesn't understand."

"Hush, sweetheart, Sesshoumaru will tell Inuyasha and then he'll tell us. Why don't we go have a bath in the hot springs? Kohaku, you stay and look after the girls. Kirara will go with us and Kagome has her arrows." Contrary to popular belief, the young priestess had not lost her powers.

"Ah, sure." Left with nothing to do but follow his sister's orders, the young man went in search of his nieces.

* * *

Inuyasha led his brother away from the village, not wanting anyone or anything to get destroyed if the demon lord decided he needed do tear something apart. Miroku followed, his brow furrowed in concern. "All right, spill."

"More demons are coming after Rin. She is hitting puberty early. Already she has begun to bleed. And while she is not yet fertile, it does not seem to matter to those insolent vermin. I will not have my ward in danger because of these pests."

"Do you wish for us to take care of her for the next few years?" his brother asked; gold eyes half shut in thought. "If the demons are not respecting your authority, you may have to wage a small war to demonstrate that you and your word are not to be denied. That is no place for a child."

Sesshoumaru hid his sigh of relief, thankful he didn't have to ask for his brother's help outright. "I would appreciate it, Inuyasha. She will want for nothing. I will provide everything and a small stipend for her miscellaneous needs."

"Think nothing of it," Miroku interjected.

They waited until the women returned who, having dragged the full story out of the girl, understood the situation clearly. Sango and Kagome quickly agreed to take care of Rin until Sesshoumaru returned. As a group the small pack watched the demon lord explain things to the young girl, surprised when she didn't cry.

"I would hate to be the young man who has to ask that father of the bride for his daughter's hand," the monk mused.

"Yeah, but it's going to be real fun watching the whole thing, isn't it?"


End file.
